


Merry (Fuzzy) and Bright

by JaneNightwork



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Advent Christmas Fic, All the Christmas tropes, Background Poe/Holdo, Ben Adopts Puppies, Extremely Soft Ben, Extremely Soft Rey, F/M, Fake Dating, Fluff, Poe is an Idiot about Holdo, Redeemed Ben Solo, background Finn/Rose, do not copy to another site
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-02
Updated: 2020-05-11
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:33:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 40,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21642244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JaneNightwork/pseuds/JaneNightwork
Summary: One night Ben finds a dog abandoned on his doorstep. She's cold, scared, and pregnant. Ben takes her to a nearby vet clinic and meets the beautiful veterinarian Rey, who promises to help him be the best caregiver the dog and her puppies could ask for. Throughout the holiday season Ben and Rey fall in love with the puppies and, of course, each other.
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 527
Kudos: 569
Collections: Reylo Prompt Fills (@reylo_prompts)





	1. A Cold Winter's Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to my second Christmas advent fic! This year we're going to follow Ben's holiday adventures after he adopts an abandoned pregnant dog and falls for the beautiful veterinarian Rey. The first chapters are before Christmas, but trust me there will be plenty of holly-jolliness to come.
> 
> *Slight trigger warning for this chapter: Inks the dog is abandoned by a woman who is leaving her physically abusive husband. There are mentions of physical abuse toward the woman and threats of violence toward the dog. Trust me, no dogs will be harmed in this fic, and we will meet the woman in happier circumstances before the end.

Ben curled up on his couch with a beer to watch _The Nightmare Before Christmas_ after the last of the trick-or-treaters had finally cleaned him out of candy. His long-haired black cat, Niner, lay by his side, having done her Halloween duty by sitting in the window all evening and delighting all the children who saw her.His neighborhood was a huge destination for children, in part because the streets were well-lit and safe, and in part because his neighbor Maz had a bewildering array of kooky Halloween decorations that drew people from miles around. Ben didn’t resent handing out candy, but the constant socializing drained him. Fortunately he was done for the day—or so he thought.

The ring of the doorbell made his eye twitch. Niner, who had been fast asleep, raised her head and flicked an ear in annoyance, then settled back on the couch cushion with a sigh, eyes resolutely closed. Ben ignored the sound, too. He was out of candy, after all. The bell rang again a few moments later, and seconds after that his phone lit up with a call from Maz. Ben groaned and stood.

“What’s wrong?” he said as soon as he opened the door. Maz’s forehead was wrinkled and creased with worry, and her eyes were wide behind her enormous glasses.

“Ben, do you have any idea who did this?” She gestured toward a box to her right that he hadn’t noticed. He looked closer and realized why Maz was worried. The large white head of a dog was just visible over the lip of the box. Around the nose and ears the dog’s skin was visible beneath its fur, red with cold. Ben had never been a dog person (cats were more his style), but the look of mingled terror and resignation in the dog’s eyes tugged at his heart.

“I’m sorry to bother you so late, it’s just that it’s very cold, and—”

“No, you did the right thing,” Ben said, turning to give her what he hoped was a reassuring smile. “It _is_ cold, and whoever did this ought to be shot, leaving an animal with strangers like that. You didn’t see them?”

Maz shook her head sadly. “I was cleaning up after the last of the trick-or-treaters. I didn’t hear anything, either, though of course I wouldn’t have. I made caramel apples this year for the kids, and I was scrubbing caramel sauce off of cookie sheets. My hearing isn’t what it was, anyway”

Ben nodded absent-mindedly.

He stared at the dog, who stared back at him sadly. He took a cautious step forward. Her ears folded back in fear, and her eyes grew wider. He made a soft, reassuring sound and reached out slowly to let her smell his hand. She sniffed at his fingers, relaxing when he didn’t make any sudden movements.

“There’s a note,” Maz said suddenly. She reached into the box and retrieved an envelope, not showing any of the caution Ben had. She handed Ben the envelope and then turned back to the dog, patting her head and calling her a good girl.

Ben opened the letter with his mouth set in a firm line.

“I’m so sorry to leave my dog with you like this. She’s not safe where I live. I have to move into a shelter tonight because my husband beats me and I can’t stay anymore. If I left Inks behind he’d kill her, just to upset me. He’s threatened her so many times, and when he found out she was pregnant he said he would kill her and the pups. I can’t bring her into the women’s shelter with me because they don’t have space for pets. I can’t afford to pay for a kennel and the shelter said she’d be euthanized because she needs a vet and I can’t afford it. I can’t stand that, I’d rather die. Please take care of her. She’s a good girl, no trouble, never chews on anything or goes to the bathroom in the house. She’s very gentle—never growled at anyone in her life. I know you’re a good person because I know all about your mother. Please, Mr. Solo. She’s my best friend in the whole world. I won’t say you can’t rename her, but to me she’s Inks. It started off Pinky, because the insides of her ears are so pink, then Inky, then Inks. She loves peanut butter and she’s very good on a leash. She loves her walks and will play fetch with anything, even a leaf! She likes to sleep next to me, so I’m sure it’ll be the same for you. Please tell her I love her and it’s not her fault.”

There were tear drops on the paper, and toward the end the writing was so scribbled as to be almost illegible. Ben sighed, again, now thoroughly chastised.

“I’m sorry, Inks.” He knelt down and looked into Inks’ sad, liquid eyes. “Don’t worry. Your momma loves you very much, and we’re going to take care of you.”

He stood and handed the note to Maz, who read it with a hand over her heart. “That poor girl. I wish she had knocked! I’d have told her she could stay with me.”

“The shelter probably is the safest place for her. If her husband is violent, he could’ve come looking for her,” Ben said gently. Maz gave an unladylike snort.

“I’ve got a shotgun. My hearing might be bad, but my aim’s still good.”

“I will remember that,” said Ben. He loved Maz, but perhaps it would be a good idea to announce his presence loudly any time he went over to ask for a cup of sugar.

“She says Inks needs a vet. I’m sure you’ve got a vet for Niner, but they’re probably closed by now. Let me find that flyer for the 24-hour vet I picked up the other day. I worry about Buttercup getting sick in the night. It’s hard to find a vet who will treat a possum, but I was very impressed by these people.” Maz darted back into her house and reemerged a few moments later with a sheet of paper that said, “Desert Stormflower Vet Clinic. 24-Hour, Free checkups with licensed veterinarians, emergency medical care, discounted vaccines and spay/neuter.” The address was relatively nearby.

Ben loaded Inks into his car and set the clinic on his phone’s GPS. Inks sat quietly in the passenger seat, looking out the window as the scenery slid by.

“Sounds like things haven’t been easy for you,” he said to her. “But you don’t have to be scared. I will take care of you, and when the time’s right you’ll see your human again.”

Of course Inks had no way to know what he was saying, but the words reassured him, and he hoped his tone reassured her. He thought again about the note: obviously the woman couldn’t leave Inks with her trash husband; that much was obvious. But how would he return Inks to her once her circumstances improved? She’d left no name, and hadn’t mentioned the name of the shelter she was going to. But she _did_ mention that she knew about him because of his mother. Maybe she could have one of her staffers reach out the the shelters with some sort of coded message.

These thoughts occupied him until he reached the clinic, which was the only brightly lit storefront in the otherwise dark strip mall. There were a few Halloween pumpkins outside and a poster of a puppy and kitten wearing bat wings. Several cars and a van were parked outside, and four people were quickly loading a number of cages into the storefront.

“Well, this seems to be the place,” said Ben. He unloaded Inks from the car and walked up front. Two people turned and watched him approach, and he began to wonder if something was wrong from their expressions. There was a handsome Black man who seemed antsy and suspicious, and a small Asian woman who looked coiled and ready for a fight. But when he came further toward them and they caught sight of Inks, they both relaxed.

“Pregnant dog got left on my doorstep,” he said to them, gesturing to Inks. “I think she needs to be checked out.”

“Sure thing, that’s what we’re here for,” said the man. He smiled and reached out to shake Ben’s hand. “I’m Finn Tico, and this is my wife, Rose Tico. We’re two of the vets. Head on inside and give us a few minutes, and we’ll be right with you.”

He walked into the clinic and saw two more people, both of whom gave him a shock. One was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. She had big hazel eyes, petal-pink lips—freckles on her nose, God help him—and at the moment she was crinkling her adorable freckled nose at something the second person had said. Someone Ben already knew.

“Poe?!”

“Ben?!” Poe turned in surprise and immediately adopted the look his mother referred to as The Goddamn Dameron Face. The one that said, “I didn’t do it, okay I _did_ do it but you shouldn’t be mad and here’s why.”

“Hey there buddy! Whatcha doin’ here so late? Is Niner okay?” Poe asked.

“Yeah, she’s fine.” Ben gestured to Inks. “I’ve got a dog that needs help. What are _you_ doing here? Is Bebe okay?”

He knew the answer before he even asked the question. Flirtatious as Poe always was, there was no way he’d be making a pretty girl laugh if his beloved scrappy little menace was actually in danger. And he definitely wouldn’t be wearing his guilty face.

“Oh yeah, Bebe’s fine. I was just helping out some friends with a—thing.”

Finn and Rose passed by them, each carrying two cages with cats inside them. They passed quickly into the back room, then reappeared without the cages.

“That’s the last of them,” said Finn.

“Good,” said the beautiful woman next to Poe. “Just in case, move the van. I don’t want them suspecting. You and Rose go home; you too, Poe. None of you are supposed to be here, and it’ll make them suspicious if you are.”

The three of them filed out, all congratulating each other and in high spirits. Finally he was left alone with the beautiful woman. He wished Poe had stayed; even though he was an annoying little twit half the time, Ben at least knew him. Ben was never at his best when he was around new people, and around women he found attractive it was even worse.

“I’m sorry,” the woman said, turning her megawatt smile on him. “With all the hubbub I didn’t introduce myself. I’m Rey. I’ll be looking after you and your dog tonight. What seems to be the trouble?”

Ben introduced himself and gave a brief description of Inks’ predicament. He watched as two lines formed between Rey’s brows, and deepened the longer he talked. When he’d finished, she bent down and addressed Inks.

“You poor girl. You must be so frightened and sad. But not to worry! Rey’s on the case.” She reached forward and rubbed behind Inks’ ears. Inks leaned into the touch and closed her eyes, shuffling forward to get closer to Rey until she’d tucked herself into Rey’s chest. “I know, yes, I know. You’re a very good girl, Miss Inks. You’re okay now. This will never happen to you again.”

“All right,” Rey said, standing up straight again and addressing Ben. “Let’s get her into the back and have a look at her. I’d uh—I’d appreciate your discretion about the cat cages. We’re going through a bit of an argument with the local animal control officers over the best way to handle a feral colony.”

“I see. Or more appropriately, I don’t see any cats.” This was true enough; the area she lead him through didn’t have any of the traps the others had brought in. Rey flashed him that grin again, and he felt a swooping sensation in his stomach.

Inks allowed Rey to lift her onto an examination table without a fuss.

“Now, before we get started, let’s just see how you react to me, okay?” Rey asked. “We know you like your ears rubbed; that’s only natural. But can I touch your paws?”

Rey gently touched Inks’ paws, then beneath her jaw, opened her mouth, and generally poked and prodded her to gauge her reaction. Inks’ never batted an eye, apart from licking Rey’s hand if she could reach it.

“Belly rubs? You wouldn’t happen to be a girl who likes belly rubs, would you?” Rey asked. She placed a tentative hand on Inks’ stomach. Inks’ mouth fell open, her tongue lolling out, and she began to wag her tail. “Ah, I see. The happy-dog switch is located on the tummy. Good to know.”

Inks submitted to everything else Rey wanted to do with barely a fluff of tail or a lifted ear. Rey praised and petted her constantly, which seemed to go a long way to soothing her.

“Well,” said Rey when she’d finished her exam. “Her health seems quite consistent with what you’ve told me. She’s a bit undernourished, likely because they haven’t changed her diet since she got pregnant. But she’s properly hydrated, and doesn’t seem to be sick. My biggest concern is her pregnancy, which presents you with your first choice. If I spay her now, that will abort the pregnancy. If we allow the pregnancy to come to term, you’re going to have anywhere between three to eight or, at the outside, perhaps even twelve puppies on your hands. She’s extremely far along. I think she’s got about a week left, to be honest. It’s up to you.”

Ben looked at Rey, and wondered if she knew how much it was obvious that she hoped he’d keep the puppies. Her eyes were wide and searching, and she still had one hand protectively over Inks’ stomach. He looked at Inks’ face. She looked back at him with her lonely eyes.

“What happens to the puppies if you don’t abort them?” he asked. “I don’t have any experience with dogs, and I don’t know what puppies need.”

“I understand. We can get fosters for the puppies as soon as they turn adoptable age, but the thing is, it’s very dangerous to separate puppies from their mothers before eight weeks old. The good news is, between birth and eight weeks you barely need to do anything. Inks will take care of most of it. And if you like I can look into a foster for her. Someone who has more experience with pregnant dogs.”

The idea was tempting. Ben worked long hours, often to the point of feeling guilty for leaving even the elegant Niner on her own. He certainly couldn’t drop everything to suddenly care for a pregnant dog and her puppies. But on the other hand, that woman had escaped hell and left her dog with him. Her best friend in the whole world. She’d said she’d rather die than see Inks in a shelter situation. She’d trusted him, begged him—“Please, Mr. Solo.” And the husband had threatened to kill the pups.

“No. This woman trusted me with Inks. I wouldn’t feel right letting her down.”

Rey beamed at him, and Ben came to the dangerous realization that he’d have agreed to spoon-feed twenty puppies if it would make her happy.

“I’ll help you. I can come to your place for wellness checks, rather than having you bring everybody here, and we’ll get you set up with a whelping box. You’re going to be a wonderful foster dad, I can already tell.”

“What’s a—” Ben’s question was interrupted by an insistent ring on the bell at the front desk and a stern voice saying, “Dr. Johnson! A word.”

Rey grimaced. “That’ll be animal control. Hold on, I’ll get rid of them.”

Inks and Ben both watched Rey leave the room with somewhat heavy hearts. Inks then turned to Ben and stared at him. Testing a theory, he walked toward her and cautiously offered his hand again. She definitely seemed more comfortable with women (understandable), but not overtly aggressive or afraid of him. He smoothed a hand over her head and down her back. She shifted and rolled over, showing him her tummy.

Just then he heard raised voices in the anteroom. Inks promptly flipped back over and cowered.

“Don’t worry, Inks. I’ll make them stop.”

Ben stalked out front to see Rey standing firm against three animal control officers. Her expression was a mixture of outrage and stony defiance. The animal control officers looked obstinate and incredulous.

“You don’t honestly expect us to believe that you _don’t_ have those cats back there, Dr. Johnson. Your reputation precedes you.”

“I’m sorry,” Ben interrupted. “In what jurisdiction does a reputation count as evidence?”

“Who are you?” said one of the officers.

“Ben Solo, Dr. Johnson’s counsel.” Rey’s eyes flicked toward him, but mercifully she said nothing. “I’m also here because my dog needs Dr. Johnson’s help. She doesn’t like loud noises, and you’re disturbing her. Could you keep your voices down, please?”

It was not a request, and Ben took care to ensure that it didn’t sound like one. The combination of his tone and his name (his parents’ fame was at least good for that) had the desired effect. All three animal control officers visibly wilted.

“Now, it’s my understanding that you’ve asked Dr. Johnson whether she has any cats here. She’s given you an answer. Is that correct?”

“Yes, but—”

“But you don’t believe her. Is that right?”

“Yes,” huffed the lead officer.

“I see. Well, irritating as that may be for you, the conversation still appears to be over. Unless you have a warrant?”

The lead officer flushed. “We don’t need a warrant if we have probable cause.”

“Which is?” Ben prompted.

“Dr. Johnson, as I said, has a reputation—”

“I have a reputation of making witnesses cry during cross examination. Especially when they try to conflate hearsay with actionable evidence.”

“Did you see any cats back there?” said the younger officer to the lead officer’s right, bursting forward as if with a sudden flash of inspiration. “They’d be in little rectangular trap cages. You can’t say no if you did see them—you’d perjure yourself.” Ben deliberately avoided eye contact with Rey, who was probably sending him a pleading look.

“You only perjure yourself when you lie under oath,” he said with contempt. “As it happens, I did not see any cats in portable traps in the back rooms. I did see at least three cats in cages back there, but they were clearly domesticated cats being held for observation.” The young officer didn’t need to know that he’d see them bring the cages in.

The lead officer sighed, and gave Rey a look. “You know as well as I do that entire colonies don’t disappear into thin air. And we’re on the same side, Dr. Johnson. That’s what I just don’t get.”

“It’s our methods that divide us,” Rey said evenly. “You advocate wholesale euthanasia. I don’t.”

“There was an outbreak of rabies last year!”

“Which is terrifying and extremely serious, yes. But it was in a different county at a different colony and has been contained. The colony you’ve been referencing has shown no signs of infection.”

“You’d only know that if you’ve been around the colony, which tells me you know what happened to those cats.”

“Good evening, gentlemen,” said Ben. He gave Rey a sharp look when she opened her mouth. “If you need anything further, please feel free to contact me, not Dr. Johnson. Again, my name is Ben Solo. Do you need a business card?”

“I know who you are,” grumbled the lead officer.

“Good! Then you won’t have any trouble remembering my name. Unless the three of you are in need of a distemper shot, I suggest you leave. Now.”

“Wait,” Ben said to Rey under his breath as he watched them leave, when he saw her move toward him out of the corner of her eye. “Don’t celebrate until they can’t see.”

Finally they watched the three officers drive away in their car. Ben exhaled, and Rey jumped up and down. She threw her arms around him in a hug, which surprised him. He recovered quickly enough to put his arms around her and make something that sounded like a laugh. He hoped he wasn’t blushing and that she hadn’t noticed him literally close his eyes when he smelled her perfume.

“That was _amazing!_ Thank you so much. Where did you learn to do that?”

“Law school,” Ben shrugged. He smiled at her. “Glad I could help.”

“You helped, trust me. Anything you and Inks need from here on out, it’s on the house.”

He argued stridently against this, but was soon overruled. He left a little while later with a trunkful of dog and puppy supplies, several information pamphlets, and Rey’s phone number.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed this opener. I can't wait to share the rest. Updates should come in daily, or almost-daily. If you enjoyed, please leave a comment! They make my day. :)
> 
> Feel free to find me on twitter, where I go by NightworkJane!


	2. No Crib for a Bed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I meant to mention this last chapter, but Inks is based on a real dog who is really up for adoption! You can see her sweet face [here](https://bestfriends.org/adopt/adopt-our-sanctuary/14207444/inky).

Ben wasn’t worried about Niner fighting with Inks. Niner accepted everyone who came into her orbit, provided they didn’t yank on her tail. She even got along with Bebe when Poe brought him over, letting the sassy labradoodle chase her around until he finally wore himself out. He was a little worried, however, that Inks would be afraid of Niner. Inks seemed to jump at every new sight, sound, and smell she encountered. Ben didn’t know if she’d ever even seen a cat before. He lead her into his house slowly, taking care to turn on all the lights.

“Inks, this is where you’ll be staying. Niner will take care of you, I’m sure, if you let her,” he said gently. Niner had been waiting for Ben to get home as she always did, and strode forward to investigate the newcomer. She held her elegant tail high, the very end twitched to the side, making it look like a question mark. Inks froze, but didn’t bark or growl. She watched as Niner walked up to her and hesitantly sniffed at one of her legs. Apparently satisfied, Niner brushed her head against Inks’ shoulder, and then rubbed her body against Inks’ side.

“Well then, she’s adopted you. I think the rumors are true—you are a good girl,” Ben said to Inks. Her mouth dropped open in the same happy-dog smile she’d given Rey, and her tail fluttered once. “A very good girl, and I’m happy you’re here.”

Now that her ears were perked in curiosity and happiness (rather than drooped over themselves in sadness and fear), Ben could see what the woman had meant about Inks’ ears. In contrast to her solid white coat and chocolate brown eyes, the insides of her ears were almost Barbie-doll pink. The effect was silly-looking, but almost impossibly endearing.

Ben brought in all the supplies Rey had given him. The whelping box, he had learned, was basically a kennel designed for Inks to give birth and care for her puppies. It was too late to set it up that night, but he brought everything and put it in a corner in his bedroom. Rey had said she had at least a week, after all.

It was past midnight when he was finally ready for bed. Ben had a king-sized bed with probably too many pillows, but he liked to stretch out and so did Niner, and they both liked a variety of fluffy pillows to rest their heads on. His usual routine consisted of a chamomile tea and a chapter or two of a good book before he turned out the light. He turned down the covers and got into bed; Niner had already curled up on top of her favorite pillow, but promptly moved to Ben’s lap as soon as he got settled. He looked down at the floor beside his bed before he picked up his book. There stood Inks, watching him cautiously. He remembered that the note said she liked to sleep on the bed.

“I haven’t got a dog bed for you yet. But even after we get you one, you can come up here, if you want.”

He patted the mattress next to him, but no dice. She clearly wanted to be on the bed, but either couldn’t work out how to get up there or was too afraid he’d yell. Finally he got out of bed (displacing an unimpressed Niner) and lifted her onto the mattress. He got back under the covers and gently coaxed her to move around and find a comfortable spot. Finally she settled on the far corner of the bed, watching him and Niner with a longing expression.

“Suit yourself,” he said, “but Niner may snuggle you whether you’re ready or not.”

Sleep came to Ben swiftly after the day’s adventures, and the next morning he awoke on his stomach with Inks’ back pressed into his side, and Niner curled up on top of her. Both of them slept through his alarm and only woke at the magic word: “Breakfast.”

Ben worked for his mother’s law firm (after a series of unfortunate and cringe-worthy incidents in his youth). There were a wide variety of perks, but there were also a few downsides. Half of his coworkers had known him since he was in diapers, and one of these coworkers was Poe. They’d been friends, de-facto cousins, coworkers, and pains in each others’ asses all their lives. What Poe lacked in proper terror of the Skywalker temper he made up in charm, which was exactly what made him so dangerous.

“So?” Poe asked as soon as Ben walked into the office that morning. He clapped Ben on the shoulder. “Did you get Rey’s number?”

“What were you doing there last night?” Ben countered.

“Smooth move, but I’m not a hapless witness. Did you get Rey’s number, or do I need to give it to you?” Poe smirked over the rim of his coffee cup. Ben wanted to strangle him—Poe never got into the office early, but he’d clearly been so eager to needle Ben that he’d not only come in early, he’d actually come in early enough to make himself coffee. And he hadn’t offered Ben a cup.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Dr. Johnson? She helped me with the dog that was abandoned on my doorstep. Her name is Inks, thank you for asking. She and her pups are quite healthy. Again, thank you for asking. Your concern does you credit.”

Ben walked around Poe and went into his office. Poe ignored Ben’s tone, followed him, and flopped down into one of the chairs opposite Ben’s desk. He also ignored Ben’s look of warning.

“No,” he said, drawing out the “o.” “I’m talking about Rey. You know the one: tall brunette, hazel eyes, British accent, freckles on her nose? The one you stared at with your mouth open for twenty seconds when you walked in the door? Your lovestruck expression hasn’t changed since you were eight years old, Ben. I know when you have a crush. Did you flirt with her or not? She’s a great girl! I think you’d be good for each other.”

Ben busied himself with powering up his laptop to avoid making eye contact. “I didn’t ask her out, no. But I did help her get rid of some really over-enthusiastic animal control officers, and she’s very generously donating her time to help me with Inks, especially when the puppies are born.”

“Well now! That’s good news. You’ll have a chance to get to know each other. Maybe by the time the puppies get adopted out, you’ll have worked up the nerve to ask her out for coffee.”

“Poe, if you don’t stop loudly making fun of my crush, I’m gonna start loudly making fun of yours,” Ben said evenly. Poe’s longing for Amilyn Holdo (despite their constant bickering) was a secret known only to Ben and Poe himself. The devil-may-care grin on Poe’s face slipped for a fraction of a second, but then came back twice as strong. He lifted his hands in surrender.

“Fine, fine. But for the record, I’m not making fun of you. Rey really is great, and I can see it, the two of you.”

Ben refused to smile at the thought until Poe was safely out of his office.

Thoughts of getting to know Rey and possibly establishing a friendship, or maybe even more, occupied Ben for the rest of his workday. When he got home he fed Niner and Inks, then took Inks for a walk. The evening progressed happy and relaxed. He even got a text from Rey, asking how Inks was settling in. He sent her a picture of Inks and Niner sleeping side-by-side on the couch, and Rey responded with about a dozen hearts and smile emojis. Everything seemed to be going well.

Late in the night, Ben was woken from a deep sleep and was too groggy to understand what was happening at first. Inks was whining, pacing back and forth on the floor around the bedroom and attached bath. It seemed as if she was searching for something she couldn’t find. She panted and occasionally yipped, a cross between a bark and a yelp. Niner was also disturbed—it was her meowing and head-butting his chin that finally woke him. Ben watched Inks for a moment, then saw her lay down on her side. She whined horribly, obviously in pain.

Ben wrestled with what to do. He didn’t want to bother Rey if it was nothing, but it obviously wasn’t nothing. Inks wasn’t supposed to go into labor for a week—he hadn’t even set up the whelping box yet. What if the puppies were in danger?

He called the Desert Stormflower clinic, and mercifully Rey was working. He’d liked Finn and Rose, but Rey was who he really wanted to talk to.

“Rey, I think something’s wrong with Inks. She’s crying, and pacing, and—”

“She’s in labor,” Rey said decisively. “Have you set up the whelping box?”

“No, I thought I had a few more days. Is she, what do I do?”

“I’m on my way. Give her water and set up the whelping box.”

“Thank you so much, I should’ve done that sooner, I’m sorry,” he babbled, terrified that he should’ve seen the signs earlier, that something would go wrong and it would be his fault.

“Ben, listen to me. Inks is healthy, and so are her pups. You’re doing good. I’ve delivered hundreds of puppies, and I’m bringing everything I need with me. Just hang tight. I’ll be there soon.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The response to this fic so far has been crazy positive, and I'm so glad you're enjoying it! Sorry for the mini-cliffhanger, but I promise you shall meet the puppies tomorrow. <3 If you enjoyed, please do leave a comment! I read and cherish every single one.


	3. The Most Famous Reindeer(s) of All

Ben had begun laying down blankets in the whelping box when his doorbell sounded. He realized belatedly that he hadn’t put on guest-presentable clothes, and was still running around in just his boxers. He dashed into his bathroom for a robe, not wanting to leave Rey standing on his doorstep. Then he scrambled down the stairs and opened the door.

“Rey! Thank you so much for coming, and on short notice.”

Rey came in and looked around, her usual sunny smile replaced by professional urgency. “I’m glad to be here. Where’s Inks?”

“In my bedroom. I’m almost done with the box. She seems to be a bit calmer now, still pacing but not crying.”

“Good. Let’s move the box downstairs—that way once the pups are born everyone can get outside a bit easier. Inks isn’t going to fancy taking the stairs once she’s done giving birth.”

“Of course, why didn’t I think of that? So _stupid_ of me,” said Ben. He ran a hand through his hair in frustration.

“Because you’ve never overseen a birth before?” said Rey, a hint of humor stealing into her voice. “Come on, let’s get set up.”

With two people the setup of the kennel went very quickly. Ben changed clothes, then carried Inks downstairs, after she stood at the top of the stairwell, looking frightened. She walked quickly into the whelping box and laid down, allowing Rey to check her vitals and the puppies’. Rey worked deftly and with precision, and not for the first time Ben found himself in awe of her capabilities.

“Is she okay?” he yelped when Inks cried again a few minutes later. “That’s the same sound she made earlier.”

“It’s contractions. They’re not fun, but to be expected,” Rey said. She made a note of the time. “Do you happen to have any liquor in the house? Vodka, rum, whiskey, that sort of thing?”

“Yeah, why? Do you need it to sterilize something? Should I boil water, or—”

“Ben!” Rey laughed, and the sound of it soothed the jagged edges of Ben’s panic. “I’m a doctor, I don’t sterilize things with booze. And no, you don’t need to boil water. I think you should pour yourself a shot, to be honest. While you’re at it, if you have coffee you’re willing to share, you should probably make some. These things take time, and Inks is a first-time mother. It’s going to be a long night.”

“Oh. Um, I’ll get out of your hair,” said Ben, now embarrassed. He stopped when Rey took off one of her surgical gloves to reach out and touch his arm.

“Hey, wait. You’re not in my hair. I love seeing people who actually _care_ about their animals. You’ve only had Inks for a day and you’re already a better pet parent than a lot of people. I don’t want you to leave. I want you to make yourself a strong drink and strap yourself in for the ride.”

The next few hours warped and blended together in Ben’s memory. Part of the time Inks just wanted to lay next to Ben, putting her head in his lap so that he would speak softly to her and pet along her trembling sides. Other times she paced, going in and out of the whelping box, or digging beneath the blankets and ripping up the newspaper underneath. Rey was there the whole time, watching everything, prepared for anything, explaining the process to Ben.

Finally Inks lay on her side, and Rey warned him that the first of the puppies would soon be born. Ben knew conceptually that birth was a messy, disgusting, joyful, miraculous process, but seeing Inks give birth to three healthy puppies in quick succession was still an experience unlike any other. True to form, Rey let Inks do most of the work cleaning the puppies and keeping them close. Four more puppies were born, and by the eighth puppy Ben began to feel confident. Everything really would go all right.

Ben looked outside at the early morning sun. It had been one in the morning when he called Rey; it was nearing eight now. He’d already called his mother to say he couldn’t come into work. Normally he hated calling off, but the sight of an exhausted but healthy Inks nursing eight equally exhausted but healthy puppies was well worth it. Rey looked exhausted, too, and happy.

“One more puppy, I think,” she said cheerfully. “I was sure I counted nine in her x-rays.”

“A ninth for Niner,” said Ben, as Niner lifted on her back paws to peer into the whelping box for approximately the hundredth time.

“She’s going to be a good auntie,” Rey praised, leaning forward to kiss the top of Niner’s head. Ben felt a small stab of jealousy; why did his cat get forehead kisses when he didn’t? But then Rey smiled at him and he forgot all about it.

The ninth birth was not as easy as the others. Inks was well and truly exhausted, despite the efforts of both Ben and Rey to keep her hydrated and relaxed. She seemed to lack the energy to push. Finally, after a seeming eternity, the smallest puppy of the litter was born. She was tiny, brown, adorable—and not moving.

“She’s not breathing. Hand me that thing in my kit that looks like a little turkey baster.”

Rey wrapped the puppy in a towel and warmed it vigorously. She took the tool from Ben’s hand and cleared the puppy’s airways. The puppy’s paws twitched, but she still wasn’t breathing.

“Come on, darling. One big breath for me. Come on, you can do it,” she coaxed, rubbing the puppy. After another small eternity, the baby began to move in earnest, letting out a triumphant “awrooooew.”

Rey placed the puppy near Inks, and she immediately began to nurse enthusiastically.

Ben turned to Rey and beamed, not even bothering to wipe the tears off his face.

“Congratulations, Ben,” said Rey. “You are the proud foster father of nine healthy puppies.”

***

The next thing Ben remembered was waking up on his couch. He was covered in a throw blanket, and could hear the sounds of at least two people in conversation coming from his kitchen. He recognized one of the voices as his mother, and laid his head back for a moment to rest.

What a night. Nine puppies, and all of them alive, thanks in no small part to Rey’s skill and quick thinking. Not to mention Inks’ courage and determination. He sat up and looked over at the whelping box, where Inks was dozing while her puppies nursed. Niner was perched on her cat tree near the window, keeping a protective eye on all of them.

Ben stood, rubbed his neck, and followed the smell of fresh coffee into the kitchen. He found his mother sitting at the table with Rey, eating breakfast. Leia had brought bagels and lox, Ben’s favorite breakfast food, from his favorite deli. He was touched by the gesture, and leaned over her to give her a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

“I thought you two might like something to eat,” said Leia. She looked at Ben with an unmistakable glint of mischief in her eye. Ben suppressed a groan—there’d be no end of her attempts at match-making now.

“That was very thoughtful. Thanks, Mom.” He poured himself a cup of coffee and got a bagel, then sat down.

“You didn’t need to let me sleep,” he said to Rey. “I don’t want you to feel like you have to stay if everything’s ready for me to take over.”

Rey waved him off with one hand while the other made a valiant attempt at keeping the lox, capers, onions, and tomatoes on her bagel.

“Nonsense,” she said. “You worked like a carthorse last night. To be honest, I fell asleep too there for a little while. Leia’s coming in woke me.”

“I didn’t know you knew Rey,” Leia said to Ben, the gleam in her eyes intensifying.

“I didn’t know _you_ knew Rey,” Ben countered.

“Leia helped Poe when the clinic was looking for fundraising opportunities,” Rey helpfully supplied. She was either oblivious to the undercurrent in the conversation, or completely unbothered by it. Ben liked her better for it either way. “And I was just telling Leia how you came to the rescue the other day when our old friends from animal control were getting overexcited.”

“That was nothing,” Ben dismissed. “Mom, you should’ve seen the way she saved the littlest puppy in the litter. It was amazing! Have you met the puppies yet?”

“It wasn’t nothing! Forty-two cats and kittens escaped euthanasia because of you.” Rey playfully shoved Ben’s shoulder, grinning at him.

After breakfast they introduced Leia to Inks and the puppies. Rey warned that Inks might be territorial, but she seemed just as calm and happy as ever, accepting Leia’s ear rubs with eyes squinting in pleasure. The puppies took turns nursing and napping in a a big pile, all within Inks’ easy reach, should one of them cry or look as though it needed grooming.

“How many boys and girls?” Leia asked.

“Five girls, four boys,” said Rey. “I think Inks’ loverboy must’ve been a brown or brindle dog, because we’ve got some nice color variations, too.”

Ben nodded. There were several puppies that had brown or black in their coats, and a few that were solid white like their mother.

“What will I name them?” Ben wondered aloud.

“I actually have an idea about that,” said Rey. “They’ll be getting old enough for adoption right around Christmas. It might be a good idea to give them Christmas-y names, even if the folks who adopt them will probably change the names. Cute themed names get people’s attention. Since there’s nine, you could name them after Santa’s reindeer. It’s easy to remember, and cute.”

They spent the next five minutes deciding which of the puppies looked most like a Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, and Rudolph. Rey added their names to the tiny collars she’d given them the night before so they could all be told apart.

“I do have to go now. But if you don’t mind, Ben, I would like to come back later and check on the puppies. Keep an eye on Inks. I think we’re out of the woods, personally, but if she does anything strange do let me know.”

“Of course! You’re welcome any time. Thank you again for all your help, and I hope you’ll change your mind and send me a bill.”

“Not a chance. Later!” she waved a grinned over her shoulder as she left. The door had barely closed when Leia turned to Ben with a determined look on her face.

“I like her, Ben.”

“So do I,” Ben agreed, not seeing any point in pretending otherwise, since his mother always knew when he was interested in a woman.

“Well then, reel her in with the puppies and let her make an honest man out of you. I want grandchildren.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you enjoyed, I hope you'll let me know! The response to this fic already has me over the moon. You can also find me on twitter, where I go by NightworkJane.


	4. All is Calm

Ben pottered around the kitchen and living room after his mother left, cleaning up the breakfast supplies and disposing of all the ruined towels and newspapers from the night before. He dug the space heater out of the attic and set it up at a good distance to keep Inks and the puppies warm, but not too hot. The living room was nice and spacious, but it could get cold by the window and he didn’t want the puppies catching a chill. He also microwaved one of the puppy-safe heating pads Rey had left him, just in case. Then he put together breakfast for Inks and Niner, and poured himself a second cup of coffee.

He took Inks’ food into the kennel, not wanting her to have to leave her brood to eat. He sat down in the kennel while she ate, enjoying the peace and quiet after the stress of the night, and watching the puppies as they nursed. They were all so small, they almost defied belief. Especially Vixen, their tiny miracle puppy. They flopped around blindly, orienting themselves through constant physical contact with their litter-mates or their mother. And they were as fascinating as they were adorable. Most of them slept, woke briefly to nurse, and then slumped back over to sleep again. Every once in a while one of them would yawn, showing off their tiny pink tongue and letting out a small “mwe-eeh” of dissatisfaction until they found a warm, comfortable spot to nap. If any of the pups continued to cry, Inks would lick them until they were soothed.

It boggled his mind a bit, how gentle and loving Inks was. She’d been exposed to terrible behavior from humans over a long period of time. True, the woman who left her on his doorstep loved her very much, and probably took excellent care of her. But being in a violent environment long-term should’ve left Inks with an unpredictable and hostile nature. Not to mention that one look at her face made it obvious she was a pit bull—a breed supposedly aggressive and violent by default. Instead, here she was, gently grooming three of her puppies, and not batting an eye when Niner walked into the kennel and started sniffing at the other six.

“Niner, be very gentle. They’re not your babies,” Ben warned. Niner looked up at him with an unmistakable expression of indignation. Of course they were her babies, she seemed to say. Everyone who came into the house was her baby; species didn’t enter into the equation.

After a few moments’ investigation (and a chin bump for Inks), Niner curled up in one of the warmer corners of the kennel and began cleaning her face.

Ben found himself lulled by the increased warmth of the room and the serenity of the moment. His eyes began to droop. He thought he might as well take a nap when Inks stood, picked up Vixen in her mouth, and brought her to Ben. She dropped Vixen very gently into Ben’s lap, then turned and picked up one of the larger puppies, Dasher, and dropped him in Ben’s lap, too. Soon all of the puppies that hadn’t been nursing were in Ben’s lap, and then she even brought the remaining three to him. She laid down next him, sighed, and fell immediately asleep.

Not for the first time in the last twenty-four hours, Ben felt tears pooling in his eyes. She trusted him with her babies, enough to bring them to him and then fall asleep, knowing he would care for them while she rested. He arranged the puppies on his lap—he had more than enough room for all of them to lay on him—and put the heating pad over his knees so they could lay on it for extra warmth if they needed it.

Inks napped for half an hour, then needed to be let outside. He was sure she wouldn’t want to go on a full walk, so he let her out the back door and into the fenced part of his yard. Maz waved to him from her back porch, where she was busily replacing Halloween decorations with Thanksgiving decorations.

“Do you need any help with that?” he asked, feeling guilty as she lugged an enormous bale of hay across her porch that looked twice her own weight. She waved him off.

“I’m fine. And I understand I’m to congratulate you and Inks. The stork must’ve been busy last night!”

Maz made a habit of sitting on her front porch with her pet opossum, Buttercup, as long as the weather permitted it. She was friends with everyone in the neighborhood and generally knew everything that was going on. Even if she hadn’t spoken to Leia or Rey, that morning, Maz and his father were old friends. She’d certainly have heard it through the grapevine.

“Yes! All healthy, too. Rey, my vet, said Inks did a great job. You should come over and meet the puppies. They’re very sweet.”

Maz promised she would, and they went back inside. Inks settled down with her litter immediately and let them all begin nursing again. Ben finally felt secure enough to take a shower, eat something substantial, and take a few hours’ nap. By the time Rey arrived in the early evening he’d even had time to do some cooking. It was nothing fancy, just pasta with red sauce, a salad, and some garlic bread. But when he opened the door Rey walked in, inhaled deeply with her eyes closed, and put a hand over her heart.

“Oh my god it smells _amazing_ in here.”

“Do you like pasta puttanesca?” he asked. “It’s almost ready, and I made a lot. Do you, um—do you want some?”

Her eyes widened as if he’d offered her rubies or a private jet instead of just some hastily cooked dinner.

“Oh, I couldn’t possibly, I didn’t mean to make you think you have to share your food—”

“I’m happy to share” he said firmly. “You’re here pro bono after working all night. The least I can do is feed you some pasta.” He didn’t want to add that he got lonely eating all his meals by himself, and eating with her would be a very welcome change.

She didn’t argue the point further, just smiled at him in that stomach-swooping way. She tucked some hair behind her ear, then turned and went into the living room to check on Inks and the puppies. Ben hurried to set the table for two. He’d intended to have a glass of wine when he’d thought he was eating alone, but put the wineglass away instead of getting out a second one. Dinner was one thing, but wine meant a date, and he didn’t think they were quite there yet.

Rey reemerged from the living room a few minutes later, looking happy. “Everyone looking good, getting fat and happy,” she said.

“They’re gaining weight _already_?”

“Oh yeah,” Rey nodded, taking a seat at the table. “First two weeks all they do is eat and sleep, so they gain weight like you wouldn’t believe. Not gaining weight, or God forbid losing weight, is the first sign of trouble.”

Dinner conversation flowed easily. Rey complimented Ben’s cooking to a degree that made him blush. They also talked about their mutual acquaintances, and marveled at the fact that they hadn’t met yet.

“Poe is—well, I mean, you know him. He’s great,” Rey said hesitantly, looking down a the empty remains of her plate after her second portion. If Ben hadn’t been so worried about what she was going to say next, he’d have felt extremely proud for feeding her so well.

“Yeah, he’s great.” There were many other things Ben could have said, but he didn’t want to bad-mouth Poe out of jealousy if Rey was interested in him.

“The thing is, Finn is my best friend in the whole world. We’re more like siblings, really. He and Rose just got married, and I know they worry I’m going to feel left out. Which is silly, of course! I feel like I gained a sister instead of losing a brother, you know?”

Ben wasn’t sure where this left turn in the conversation had come from, but he knew she was telling him something important. It was equally clear that her words about Finn and Rose’s fears being “silly” were what she wished to be true rather than what she really felt. His heart went out to her. He nodded sympathetically.

“And they’re thinking that if I get into a relationship, I won’t feel left out, you know? Which, valid. But they’ve been trying really hard to set me up with Poe. Like, they’re not subtle. The thing is, I do like Poe, but I don’t like-him, like-him. I’d feel bad about it if he liked me, but I can tell he doesn’t. It’s getting kind of awkward.”

“Have you told them you’re not interested in him?” he asked. He made a mental note to ask Poe about it the next time he saw him. Given that Poe had encouraged Ben to pursue Rey, he was sure Rey was right about him not having feelings for her. That, of course, and his crush on Amilyn.

“I have, yeah,” Rey nodded. “But no dice. They see that Poe and I get along really well, and make each other laugh. Which is great! But they’re mistaking that for flirty energy when it’s really just friends who make each other laugh energy. It’ll blow over, like it’s no big deal, but since we do all know each other now I wanted to give you a heads up in case you’re ever around us and Finn or Rose start acting weird.”

“Poe’s charming. He’d have chemistry with a tree if they understood human speech,” Ben said. “I can talk to Poe if you like, have him casually drop in conversation with Finn and Rose that he’s interested in someone who doesn’t fit your description.”

“I don’t want Poe to have to lie,” Rey said, shaking her head. “I’ll think of something.”

Ben wondered if dating him instead of Poe could be considered “something.”


	5. Dasher, Dancer, & Cupid

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry I've been MIA! I'll definitely be catching up over the weekend. <3

Over the next two weeks, Ben and Rey slipped unwittingly into a pattern. She would come over to check on the puppies, which she would insist on doing for free. Ben would just so “happen” to have food ready when she arrived, and would insist on feeding her in lieu of payment. She began to stay after dinner, too, to play with Inks and the puppies or just to talk. He became so used to her presence that on days when she couldn’t come over or couldn’t stay, her absence felt like a persistant headache. He warned himself not to get his hopes up or to get too attached, but he knew he was only kidding himself: he already cared about her deeply, and the more time they spent together the better he liked her.

Ben fell into the role of caretaker for the puppies easily. He spent the first week sleeping on the couch, afraid to leave them alone through the whole night. He went home during his lunch breaks to check on them and let Inks out, and generally fussed and worried over them like a mother hen. One day during his lunch hour he found that in the few hours he’d been at work, three of the puppies had opened their eyes for the first time. Dancer, a grey puppy with a white belly and white toes, looked at him for the first time with her bright blue puppy eyes. He picked up each of the puppies to check on them, and found that Dasher (all white, the spitting image of Inks) and Cupid (white with brown patches, including an unspeakably cute patch near his left ear that looked like a heart) had also opened their eyes. They were still small enough to hold all three of them in one arm, so he picked them all up and gave each of them a kiss on the forehead.

“Look at you! Growing like little weeds, and now you can finally see me! I apologize for my face; nothing I can do about that.”

He got his phone out of his pocket and snapped a quick picture of the puppies, and sent it to Rey. Her response was almost immediate.

OMG ADORABLE  
  
But where r u?  
  
What do you want a picture of me for when you could have one of just puppies?  
  
BEN. SELFIE. NOW.  
  


Ben felt himself smiling—the only challenge would be making sure he wasn’t grinning like a blushing, lovestruck idiot in the photo. He flipped the camera around and moved the puppies until all three of them were cuddled up to his chest within the frame. He tried smiling at the camera but after four failed attempts he began to feel awkward, and the puppies were growing squirmy. He took one picture accidentally, of him smiling down at Cupid while he yawned, and that turned out to be the best photo of the four of them yet. He sent that one to Rey.

(Smiling Face With Heart-Shaped Eyes )(Smiling Face With Heart-Shaped Eyes )(Smiling Face With Heart-Shaped Eyes ) (Heart With Arrow )(Smiling Face With Halo )(Sparkling Heart )(Sparkling Heart )(Face Throwing A Kiss )(Face Throwing A Kiss )(Face Throwing A Kiss )(Face Throwing A Kiss )  
  


There was a definite pep in Ben’s step when he got back to work. This did not go unnoticed by Poe, who flashed his trademark grin at Ben when they ran into each other in the kitchenette.

“ _So,_ someone’s smiley.”

“Yes, I am. Three of the puppies opened their eyes today.”

“Hey, that’s great news!” Poe gave him a congratulatory pat on the back. “Which ones?”

“Dasher, Dancer, and Cupid. Here, let me show you,” said Ben. He took his phone out and scrolled to the first picture he took of the three of them. Poe took the phone from his hand and made all the appropriate “aww” sounds. Then, to Ben’s horror, he swiped the to the next photo in his camera roll. (Wasn’t that against their generational code? He could see Leia doing that, but not _Poe_ for Christ’s sake, whose camera was probably filled with nudes for all Ben knew.)

“What. Is this?! This is the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen! You took an honest to god selfie, I’m so proud of you!”

Ben tried to grab his phone back, but despite his superior height Poe outmaneuvered him. This was a skill he’d learned in their childhood that still frustrated Ben endlessly.

“Are you gonna post it to Instagram?”

“What? No, of course not, don’t be ridiculous. I only took it cause Rey—” Ben stopped, knowing the instant the name left his mouth that he was in terrible trouble. Poe’s eyes widened.

“She asked you for a selfie?” His face lit up with genuine glee.

At that moment, Leia and Amilyn walked into the kitchenette, eyebrows raised.

“What are you kids up to?” Amilyn asked with a small smile. Ben winced. He could see that Amilyn meant it in an affectionate way, but he knew Poe would get the wrong idea. Sure enough Poe flushed, wrong-footed once again by Amilyn’s reminding him of their age difference.

“I was just telling Ben how happy I am that he’s met someone. That’s all. I’m not sure that’s childish,” he huffed, then stalked out of the room. Ben reflected that while his earlier behavior might not have been childish, his reaction definitely was. Amilyn’s face registered hurt for a second, but smoothed over immediately. She turned to Ben.

“I’m happy for you! Will we meet her at Thanksgiving?”

At the same time Ben said, “Oh, I don’t think so,” Leia chimed in with, “We’d better.”

Amilyn looked from mother to son and laughed. “Good luck with that,” she said to Ben. She filled her coffee mug and left. Leia gave Ben a significant look that promised further conversation on the subject, then she also left.

Ben sighed, filled both his own mug and Poe’s (he’d left it in his rush to stomp away from Amilyn), and went to Poe’s office. He sat the coffee on Poe’s desk, then sat in a chair opposite and waited. Poe sat with his chin resting on his fist, staring out the window. The color was still high in his cheeks.

“I hate this,” he said finally. Ben nodded without saying anything. “I wish I could just move on; she clearly thinks I’m an idiot. I mean, _why_ is it that _one word_ from that woman just makes me—and it’s every time! She trips me up and _every time_ I turn into a bratty four-year-old who missed his nap.”

“You both need to work on your communication,” Ben said gently. Poe blew out a breath, nodded his thanks, and took a sip of his coffee. “She’s going to be at Thanksgiving, you know. No date, either.”

Poe shrugged, looking miserable. Ben felt for him. He knew what it was like to be enamored with a woman who didn’t return his feelings, though it had happened more often to him to than to Poe. But then he squared his shoulders and looked at Ben for the first time.

“Thanksgiving. That actually reminds me of something. I need to ask you for a big favor.”

“Yeah, what’s up?”

“I need you to pretend to be Rey’s date.”

For the first time in his life, Ben did an actual spit-take. He’d just taken a sip of coffee, and promptly choked on it at Poe’s words. He then kept coughing, long enough that Poe came around his desk and started thumping Ben’s back, looking genuinely concerned.

“Oh no you don’t, you maudlin asshole, you don’t get to die on me yet! Breathe!”

Ben waved him away, his breath coming in rasps. Poe shook his head and sat back down. When he could take a breath without feeling like he was going to die, he turned to Poe with watering eyes and gasped, “ _What_?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, Poe. So smooth, and yet so not. And only our Ben would receive multiple heart and kissy emojis and not realize that Rey's into him.
> 
> Leave a comment, if you're so moved! I'm behind on replying but you will hear back from me, scout's honor. And I love and cherish every response. <3


	6. A Holiday Stratagem

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're interested, I used [this video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwdmeoG4Pvo) as a resource on puppy development! Our little cuties are two weeks old now!

“Jesus, you Skywalkers are going to be the death of me with your theatrics. Choking at the mere word ‘date.’ No wonder I’m already going grey. Shit.” Poe ran a hand through his hair and made a frustrated noise. “Anyway: Rose and Finn are really still trying to set me up with Rey. I don’t know why they’re so fucking persistant, but I didn’t want to tell them I can’t date Rey because I’m interested in Amilyn, and I wasn’t going to say I can’t date her because you’re interested, and it’s just a whole mess. I talked to Rey and _casually_ brought up that maybe it would be best if she just brought a date to their Friendsgiving party, you know?”

Ben frowned at that. There were probably a lot of people Rey could call on for a date. Poe held up a hand, anticipating Ben’s objection.

“I was hoping to kinda put in a word for you. She said there was no way she could get a date, that the person she was seeing most often lately was you, and she knew you weren’t interested.”

“I’m not _what_?” said Ben. “She said that?!”

“Yeah, she did. So I asked her what the hell made her think that, and she said she ‘just knew’ you weren’t interested in her. And even if you were, it wouldn’t work out between the two of you because—well, I’m actually not going to tell you. She’s been through a lot, and she told me some things in confidence about it; it wouldn’t be right for me to tell you her secrets before she’s ready to tell you herself. But trust me, it’s got nothing to do with you. She’s just got the spooks.”

Ben nodded, thinking. “What does this have to do with Thanksgiving and being a fake date?”

“That’s the brilliant thing!” Poe’s grin came back full force. “It’s the perfect in. I asked her if she’d be comfortable with you as a fake date, just to throw Finn and Rose off the scent. She said she’d never put you in that position, but that hypothetically, you’d be a perfect fake date. So I promised not to ask on her behalf, but I never said I wouldn’t ask on mine. Finn and Rose are really gonna grab our heads and smoosh our lips together if we don’t do something. I’m dying, buddy. Please.”

“So you get Finn and Rose off your back, and I get to torture myself pretending to be on a date with the girl I really want to be with?”

Poe threw his hands in the air. “ _No_ , dummy, you get to be your sweet self and show her what a good boyfriend you would be, and how well you two work together, but in a safe context so Rey can get used to the idea. Then, when the time is right, you make sure she understands that you were never acting. It’s foolproof!”

“It’s foolhardy,” Ben countered, then sighed. “But what the hell? Let’s do it.”

Later that night when Rey came over, Ben tried to think of a way to broach the subject with her. The two of them sat with Inks and the puppies in the kennel. Inks laid with her back against Ben’s legs, using him for support while the puppies nursed. He stroked her side and ears, murmuring encouragement to her and telling her what a good momma she was. Rey, meanwhile, lifted each puppy in turn to look them over, weigh them, and give them a kiss before returning them to Inks.

“Poe tells me Finn and Rose are still giving you a hard time,” he began. She looked up and made an exaggerated grimace.

“They mean well and I love them, I really do. And it’s not that they’re pushing, they just really want me to be happy. I told Poe I was gonna hire an actor to pretend to be my date.” She smiled at him, seemingly amused by the idea.

“You could ask me, if you want,” he said softly. She blinked in surprise, and he realized that he hand’t clarified. “To be your fake date, I mean. I make a very good fake date: I’m polite, always bring a good wine and a dessert. I’ll pull out your chair for you and will talk about how impressive your work is.”

“I couldn’t ask you to do that!” she said, giving him the same look she’d given him the first time he offered her dinner. He was beginning to recognize her patterns, and learn how to make her feel comfortable trusting him.

“You’re not asking; I’m offering. It would also let Poe off the hook—he likes someone else but it’s in a tricky place right now, and he doesn’t want to tell Finn and Rose for fear they’d try to help. And this would show them that you’re happy. They’d be able to stop worrying about you.”

“You’re sure?” she asked, her voice gentle. He smiled.

“It’ll be an adventure.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed! Not too much Rey in this chapter, but up next we'll have plenty of Thanksgiving fun. And the fake dating has officially begun!! Please feel free to comment; they always make my day. You can also find me on twitter at NightworkJane. <3


	7. Everybody knows a turkey and some pumpkin pie--

Finn and Rey had been hosting an annual Friendsgiving party at their apartment for more than ten years. From the little that Rey let slip to Ben in the lead-up to the party, there was added pressure this year that everyone was trying to ignore because it was the first year that Finn and Rose were married, and the first year Finn and Rey weren’t roommates. Finn and Rose were bending over backwards to make Rey still feel like it was her party with Finn. Meanwhile, Rey was bending over backwards to reassure Finn and Rose that she didn’t feel like a third wheel. There were also some hints that Finn and Rose wished Rey hadn’t moved out of the apartment right after they got married, insisting there was room for all three of them. Ben found it refreshing that the highest drama of their friend group seemed to be everyone trying to be as loving to each other as possible, and only worrying that they weren’t being loving enough.

He got a frantic call from Rey just as he was finishing up giving Maz advice on how to look after the puppies while he’d be away. Maz had cared for many a stray animal that had crossed her path, and had raised several children, so she probably didn’t need such detailed instructions, but she’d listened patiently all the same.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down. What happened. Are you all right?” he asked. She was so rushed and stressed she sounded more like a garbled radio signal than a woman.

“One of our _fucking_ neighbors tried to deep-fry a frozen turkey. Somehow he managed _not_ to burn down the entire apartment building, but there’s been so much smoke the fire department doesn’t want staying here today. I don’t know what we’re going to do, we have so much food and now Finn and Rose need to find a hotel, my place isn’t big enough, I think we’ll have to cancel, and—”

“Like hell you will. Bring everything over here. I’ve got a huge dining table; if anyone complains about the change in venue we’ll just distract them with the puppies.”

“You’re always swooping in to my rescue,” she said. Without seeing her face he couldn’t tell if she was pleased or embarrassed.

“What are fake dates good for, if not being there when you need them? Seriously, I don’t mind at all. It’ll be nice to have people over.”

When they hung up, Ben looked around and began hurriedly tidying things in his living room. It wasn’t especially messy, but there were piles of mail to stash and boxes of extra puppy pads that should probably be in the hall closet instead of right by the kennel.

“You know, in my day—” said Maz, startling Ben. He’d half forgotten she was there. “Well, in my day we didn’t do the whole ‘fake date’ thing. But if we did, I’m not sure opening up their house at the last minute to a horde of strangers would be part of the job description.”

Ben gave her an irritated look, tempered by how much he liked Maz (even if she was a nosy nuisance). “She comes over here every day just to check on the puppies, and she does it for free. Besides, what was I gonna do? Tell her to cancel her Thanksgiving?”

Maz grinned wickedly. “Oh no, of course not. Rey must never be sad. Now, now, don’t get your bowels in an uproar, as my grandma used to say. I’m giving you a compliment, Ben Solo.”

Rey, Finn, and Rose soon arrived, all smelling faintly of smoke and all carrying an astonishing amount of food. There was a whole turkey, plus two tofurkeys for their vegetarian friends, potatoes of every color and description, macaroni and cheese, green bean casserole, three types of bread, cranberry sauce, stuffing, and six pies. Ben turned Rose and Finn loose in his kitchen, then dragged Rey away into the living room. When she gave him a questioning look, he opened his arms.

“Thanks,” she said, stepping into his hug. She laid her head on his shoulder.

“Are you okay? Really okay?” he asked softly. She nodded, snuggling further into him.

“Yeah, I am now. Things were going really well until the neighbor thing, and I think it’ll be okay. I can’t thank you enough for doing this. You’re the best fake date ever,” she said. She stepped back a bit and held onto one of his hands, squeezing it for emphasis. Then she leaned forward and kissed his cheek. Barely a whisper of a touch of her lips, but Ben felt his heart turn over. “I’d better help them finish setting up.”

The Friendsgiving was an unmitigated success. Finn and Rose were a delight, and seemed over the moon that he and Rey were dating. Poe brought Bebe, who laid down at a respectable distance away from Inks and the puppies and stared at them sadly until Niner went over to cuddle with him. The rest of Finn, Rey, and Rose’s friends were just as fun, smart, and interesting as they were, and even the socially awkward Ben didn’t have much trouble coming out of his shell. It helped that he had two ready-made topics of conversation in the puppies and in Rey, and that he loved to sing the praises of both.

The last of the guests left shortly before midnight, by which point the kitchen was cleaned (not by Ben, in spite of his protests), the leftovers were neatly packaged, and even the last of the after-dessert coffees were nearly finished.

“I wanna take a turkey-nap, but we need to get going.” Rose yawned so loud her jaw cracked.

“But why don’t you stay here? You can have the guest room; it’s a double. I’ll charge a lot less than your hotel,” said Ben. “Besides, Rey told me about your Thanksgiving tradition of watching the first Christmas movie at midnight. I wouldn’t want you to miss that.”

“Are you sure?” Finn asked. Ben nodded.

Finn and Rey scrolled through Ben’s on-demand services, trying to find an ideal Christmas movie to start their holiday season. Meanwhile, Rose cornered Ben in the kitchen when he went in to sneak an extra piece of pumpkin pie.

“I like you, Ben,” she said without preamble. He turned and looked at her with his fork still in his mouth, eyes wide with surprise. She grinned. “Don’t be too shocked—I do actually like a lot of people. But I’m picky about who I like when it comes to Rey, and I like you. So, you know, don’t fuck up and hurt her, because I might like you but I’m also a medical professional and can very easily dissolve a body if I need to.”

“Duly noted,” Ben said, his respect for Rose skyrocketing by the second.

Finn and Rey had settled on Mickey’s Christmas Carol. Watching them watch the film was almost as fun as the film itself. They quoted favorite lines, shared inside jokes, and generally enjoyed themselves like little kids.

It was around the time that all four of them trundled off to bed that Ben realized his terrible mistake.

“Goodnight, you two. Sleep tight, snuggle tighter!” said Rose, waving her fingers playfully at Ben and Rey as she and Finn disappeared into the guest room, closing the door after them. Rey looked at Ben, and he saw his panic reflected on her face.

In order to keep up the ruse, they were going to have to share his bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How will they cope with the bedsharing? And don't think Leia's forgotten about wanting Rey to show up at her Thanksgiving party, either!! More shenanigans tomorrow, and the Christmas season finally begins!
> 
> If you enjoyed, please do leave a comment! I absolutely love reading and responding to them. <3


	8. If You Really Hold Me Tight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the delay in posting! I really am going to catch up, reylo's honor. <3 In the meantime, it's bedsharing hours!!

Ben motioned for Rey to follow him into the room, closing the door behind him for privacy. “I’m so sorry. I should’ve thought of this before now.”

He looked up at her, expecting to find her uncomfortable or even angry—he wouldn’t have blamed her. Instead she just seemed a little nervous, and seemed to be blushing. She shook her head at his apology.

“No, don’t apologize. After everything you’ve done to help me—I can’t ask you to keep going on with this. I’ll sleep on the couch, and tell Finn and Rose the truth in the morning.”

“You don’t have to do that, unless it’s what you really want. I’ll sleep on the floor in here, or I’ll take the couch. We can explain to Finn and Rose in the morning that we’re just, you know, not _there_ yet. We’ve only been dating, what? A month you said?”

Rey nodded absently.

“So it would be understandable if we hadn’t slept together yet. And I wouldn’t want our first time to be with another couple right across the hall, if I could help it,” he said. He was only thinking out loud, trying to come up with a good excuse for taking the couch, but once the sentence was out he realized what it sounded like. He chanced a look at Rey, who looked shocked but not repulsed. Her cheeks were definitely pink, which wasn’t surprising; he could feel his own blush heating his face (and ears).

“Or you could go home.” His voice came out with a squeak, deepening his embarrassment. Making matters worse, now Rey looked hurt as well as confused. He rushed on. “I mean, Finn and Rose have to stay because their apartment is smoked out. But yours isn’t, soif you wanted an excuse you could say you didn’t bring any spare clothes. I don’t want you to go, not at all.”

“I do have clothes, though, in my car,” she said quietly. “I planned on staying over at the old apartment. And you don’t have to sleep on the couch, or the floor. Your bed is huge. I’m sure we’ll both fit.”

She indicated the bed with a wave of her hand, still blushing, still refusing to look at him. “I don’t really want to stop yet—unless you do? You can always tell me, if you want to stop.”

Ben shook his head vigorously. “No. I like being there for you.”

Her answering smile was worth all the anxiety of the situation. She left to get her bag from her car (and to check on the puppies one last time). In the meantime, Ben got ready for bed. He spent a great deal more time than usual contemplating what he’d wear to sleep. He usually slept in a pair of boxers, but he opted instead for a pair of pajama pants. He hated sleeping with a shirt, but put one on anyway. He didn’t want to make Rey uncomfortable. When she came back he was sitting on top of the covers, reading. He looked up to find her smiling at him.

“Glasses?” she asked, pointing at the frames. He nodded self-consciously.

“Contacts through the day, glasses at night.”

“I like them.” She barely gave him a chance to say thank you before she hurried into the ensuite. Ben was left to enjoy the compliment for a few moments, which was a welcome distraction from worrying about whether it would seem gentlemanly to create a pillow barrier in the middle of the bed or just childish.

“Um, Ben?” came Rey’s tentative voice from behind the closed door. “Small problem.”

“What is it?” He cast his book aside and walked quickly to the door.

“I forgot pajamas.”

A flood of images came to Ben, each more enticing than the last. He grit his teeth and pushed them aside. “Okay, I’ll lend you something of mine. What would you like?”

“Just a really big t-shirt is all I need, I think? I have shorts.”

Absolutely any of his t-shirts could be considered “really big” on her frame compared to his, but rummaged through his drawers until he found his biggest shirt. It was a grey Chandrila University shirt from graduate school, washed to incredible softness. He wore it to do house and yardwork, or whenever he was helping Maz with her insane seasonal decorations. It had seen more glamorous days, but was undeniably comfortable.

“Okay, I’ve got one for you. I’ll just open the door a crack and you can take it,” he said. He opened the door only wide enough for a tiny hand to appear on the other side. The shirt disappeared and the door closed again, only for it to open wide a few seconds later.

Ben forgot how to breathe, how to think. His heart even forgot how to beat. If Rey was wearing shorts, he couldn’t see them. All he could see was his shirt on her body, hanging down to several inches above her knees. She looked soft, and comfortable, and breathtaking. He hadn’t realized how much pleasure it would give him to see her wearing something of his. With her face scrubbed and her hair let down, she looked like she was ready for bed. His bed, with him. She looked like a fantasy brought to life. She smiled hesitantly at him, probably wondering why he was staring at her like a moron.

“Is the shirt okay?” he asked. She nodded.

"I like it. It's very comfy."

Not knowing what else to do, he got back into bed. She followed suit, and plugged in her phone. “Will it bother you if I have my earphones in? I like to listen to ocean sounds to put me to sleep.”

“Not at all,” he said. “Will it bother you if I keep the light on and read for a bit?”

She shook her head, already yawning. She laid down and was soon fast asleep.

Rest came more slowly for Ben. He was wide awake at the thought of Rey so close to him. He probably should’ve put down a pillow barrier, if only to reassure himself he wouldn’t try to cuddle her in the middle of the night.

All the same his eyes grew heavier and heavier as he re-read the same pages multiple times, not absorbing anything. Niner finished her final nightly inspections of the premises and jumped up on the bed, twitching her tail in interest at finding it occupied by two humans instead of just one. She sniffed at Rey’s sleeping head, allowed Ben to scratch her beneath the chin, and then curled up at the foot of the bed and fell deeply asleep.

Ben finally turned the light out some time later, resigned to not getting any sleep but tired of reading.

“Take shirt,” Rey mumbled. Ben opened his eyes. He was groggy, only about a quarter awake, and even that quarter was half convinced he was dreaming.

“Wha-?”

“Been tossing, an’ kicking covers. Too hot. Just—take off shirt.” A long pause, a sound that _might_ have been a snore, and then, “S’okay. Don’t mind.”

Ben did as he was told, and immediately felt better. “Thanks.”

“Mmm. Wan’ you without shirt anyway,” she said, further convincing Ben that he wasn’t truly awake. He drifted back to sleep, dreaming sweet dreams of Rey.

The next time Ben awoke, he came fully and instantly awake at the feel of Rey’s lips on his skin. His eyes sprung open and he clutched her to him instinctively. Somehow in their sleep they’d cuddled up close. Much too close for a platonic, let’s-be-friends-who-pretend-to-be-a-couple-to-fool-your-meddling-friends bedfellows. He was on his back, with Rey mostly on top of him, draped across his chest. She’d intertwined her legs with his, and in the night his Chandrila t-shirt had ridden up to expose most of her lower back and the cute little “shorts” she was wearing. Ben’s hands had found her soft skin, though fortunately asleep-Ben at least been enough of a gentleman to only paw at her middle back. For a brief, wild moment he wondered if Rey was kissing him, but that hope evaporated when he realized she was still asleep, with her face tucked into his neck. She was dreaming, and, he realized with a frown, trembling.

“Ben?”

“I’m here,” he said. He took his hands from under the shirt and smoothed it down in what he hoped would be a comforting motion. It didn’t work.

“Please don’t go this way.” She sounded heartbroken. She held him tighter, as if worried he’d be snatched away.

“Rey. Rey, I’m here. Wake up. It’s just a dream.”

She woke with a jerk and a half-yell and launched herself backwards, staring at him with wide eyes. He watched as awareness stole over her. She hastily wiped the tears from her face and turned bright red.

“I’m sorry—”

“No—”

“This is so embarrassing—I didn’t say or do anything, um, awkward, did I?”

He was sure she’d think talking about him and cuddling in her sleep was awkward, though he hadn’t thought so at all. The idea that she valued him enough to be sad at the idea of losing him made him want to cry, and hold her forever. But not if it came at the cost of embarrassing her.

“No, no. You just seemed like you were having a nightmare, that’s all.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed! If you did, please feel free to leave me a comment. I love hearing your thoughts. You can also find me on twitter at NightworkJane!


	9. All the Way Home I'll Be Warm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Our Christmas puppies are four whole weeks old! To get an idea of where they are developmentally, you can check out [this video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tt09dD_fu9E).

Ben went downstairs to see about some breakfast, and was joined shortly thereafter by Finn.

“Morning,” Finn said cheerfully. He scratched his stomach, yawned, and looked around the kitchen. Ben couldn’t help an amused smile. “You wouldn’t happen to have eggs and potatoes, would you?”

“As a matter of fact I do. Would you like some coffee to go with them?”

“Coffee yes, but I’m cooking. You relax. You hosted us yesterday, and gave Rosie and me a place to stay. And besides, if you’re just sitting there minding your business, I can interrogate you before the girls wake up.”

Finn waggled his eyebrows at Ben, who laughed in spite of his uneasiness. “You can interrogate me without cooking. I don’t actually mind.”

“Nah, I used to be a line cook before I went became a vet. I like feeding people.”

A “line cook” did not describe the depth of Finn’s skill and virtuosity in the kitchen. Finn soon had a skillet in the oven with shredded leftover turkey layered between potatoes, eggs, and dollops of cranberry sauce. The result was savory, tangy, and utterly delicious. But true to his word, breakfast came at a price.

“So—how do you feel about Rey?” Finn asked as he chopped potatoes.

“I like her very much. I think she’s amazing.”

“Your mother is a feminist, and thinks women have a right to power as much as men. Do you agree?” Finn asked as he shredded turkey.

“Yes, unreservedly.”

“Outdoor-only pets, as in cats and dogs, yes or no?” Finn asked as he cracked eggs into the cast iron skillet with the rest of the ingredients.

“Absolutely not.”

“Thoughts on the following films: _Fight Club, A Clockwork Orange,_ _The Mummy_?” Finn asked as he opened the preheated oven, checked the temp by waving a hand just inside it, frowned, and turned on the broiler.

“Hate it, yuck, and which one—the Rachel Weisz one?”

“Yeah.”

“I own it actually. I just wish that little pissant wasn’t called Benny. Takes me out of the moment.”

“All right,” Finn nodded, standing up straight. “You have my permission to date her. For now.”

Rey and Rose followed their noses downstairs, and the four of them enjoyed a leisurely breakfast before Rey and Ben had to go their separate ways to prepare for Leia’s party that evening. Fooling Leia and the rest of Ben’s family was not the original plan in their fake dating scheme, but Rose and Finn had come in for a meeting with Poe and Leia a few weeks earlier, and Rose had casually mentioned the “relationship” in front of Leia. To her credit, Leia didn’t voice any surprise, but she _did_ subject Ben to an hour-long lecture about why he should’ve told her that he was dating Rey. And thus their tangled web of deception grew a little larger.

Instead of hosting Thanksgiving on Thursday, Leia and Han had their party on Friday every year, so they could volunteer with a local Native American organization. “Because fuck settler culture, honestly,” as his mother was in the habit saying. This made it convenient for Rey and Ben to attend both Rey’s Friendsgiving and Leia’s Thanksgiving, but it was both a gift and a curse since they couldn’t gracefully bow out of either.

Ben went to his parents’ house while Rey went home to get changed. Ben had offered to let Finn and Rose stay another night or two, but they’d said they were probably all right to return home. Leia greeted him at the door with a hug and then promptly put him to work: there were numerous things still to be done in the kitchen, and his presence was needed to keep a good buffer between Poe and Amilyn.

“Do you think it would work if I just locked them in a closet and refused to let them out until they’d had sex?” she asked him softly.

“Eh, worth a shot.”

But when he walked into the kitchen, he found Poe and Amilyn talking softly together, smiling at each other, and—wonder of all wonders—working together happily as Poe taught her how to make tamales. Ben backed away from the door and left them alone, giving his mother a subtle thumbs up when she raised her eyebrows at him.

Rey arrived when he was pouring a second drink for Han, who was catching Ben up on some of the adventures he and Chewie’d had during their last charity race. He didn’t hear the doorbell, so he was surprised when she came into the living room with rosy cheeks and a pink nose, shivering against the late November chill. He abandoned his Dad’s drink on the sideboard and went straight to her, as a good boyfriend would. He kissed her on the cheek (reasoning with himself that she’d already given him a kiss on the cheek before, so she probably wouldn’t mind), and gathered her in a tight hug and rubbed her back.

“Where’s your coat?” he asked, concerned. “You’re frozen.”

She burrowed further into him. “I had a jacket, but I gave it to your mom when I came in. I moved here from Jakku, so I never needed a heavy coat. I keep meaning to get one, but then I always forget.”

“Well now we know what you’re getting for Christmas. It’ll have to be an early gift though; I don’t want you going cold before then. Come on, let’s get you something warm to drink, then we’ll do introductions.”

If there was any sniggering from Han, Chewie, Lando, or Luke, they both ignored it.

Introductions and dinner went beautifully. Poe had been in charge of the menu that year, and had created a veritable feast of all his favorite Guatemalan foods, most of which came from his mother’s recipes. He and Amilyn sat side by side, and neither fought nor sniped at each other the entire night. Ben had to wonder if the wine had anything to do with it.

“So Rey, Ben tells us that you’ve been helping him foster some puppies,” said Lando.

Rey grinned at Ben and nodded. “Ben’s been doing all the work, really. I just come over once a day to play with the puppies. He makes my job easy.”

“I wouldn’t say that,” said Ben. “You weigh them, tell me what kind of toys they need, check on their health—and Inks’ health. I’d never have figured out how to make that slurry if it wasn’t for you.”

“What’s a slurry?” asked Amilyn.

“Oh, it’s a half-way food between their mother’s milk and regular dog food. They’re four weeks old now, so the weaning process is just beginning. It’s basically just a blended food with water that they can lap up without having to chew it, since they don’t really have teeth yet.”

“Tell that to all the bruises on my arms,” laughed Ben. At Leia’s frown, Ben said, “They’re teething, so they’ll gnaw on anything. Oh! Rey, did I tell you, Vixen finally figured out how to bark?”

“No,” said Rey. She set her fork down and turned more fully to him. “You’ve been holding out on me. What happened?”

“She put her paw in the slurry bowl, and of course it got all wet. She wasn’t expecting that, so she barked in surprise. And then she was so surprised that she’d barked, she fell over.”

“Which one is Vixen?” asked Han. He’d been over to see the puppies a few times, but admittedly there were nine of them, and they grew so fast it was hard to keep track of which one was which apart from Inks.

“The apple of Ben’s eye,” Rey teased.

“I don’t have favorites!”

“You so do! You’re good to all of them—you’re golden, better than good, but you do absolutely spoil Vixen. It’s because she was born last, and she’s the runt of the litter,” said Rey, addressing the last bit to Han. “She wasn’t breathing when she was first born, and we were very worried about her at first. Ben dotes on her, and Inks of course.”

“And you,” said Luke, giving Rey a smile which was soft and kind but which also made the hairs on the back of Ben’s neck stand up. “Ben dotes on you too, Rey, I hope.”

Rey intertwined her hand with Ben’s on the table and gave him a dazzling grin. She looked into his eyes and said, “Oh, Ben is wonderful to me. I couldn’t ask for a better boyfriend.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading-from here on out, it's Christmas all the way! If you enjoyed, please do let me know! <3


	10. Home (Not) Alone

The next time Rey came over to Ben’s house, she held a large plastic storage bin in front of her when he opened the door.

“What’s all this?” He took the bin from her and ushered her inside.

“Toys! And puppy pads. _Lots_ of puppy pads. They’re ready for potty training, and a few other developmental resources to stimulate their balance—and to learn the difference between ‘appropriate toy to work out my teething energy on’ and ‘Ben’s hand.’”

They spent a few moments laying down puppy pads inside the crate (there were already several beneath the crate, just in case). Rey’s toys included a miniature slide and castle turret for the puppies to climb over, and a see-saw for balance. Once they were finally done, they both stepped fully into the kennel and sat down so that Inks and the puppies could climb all over them. The puppies had begun to bark and cry as soon as Rey walked in the door, knowing that she always brought them snuggles and affection. Inks, too, watched everything Rey did with her wide doggy smile and wagging tail, eagerly awaiting ear scratches and belly rubs. Ben reflected that every creature in the house was probably just as enamored with Rey as he was. Including Niner, who braved jumping into the kennel to be near her, even though the puppies had lately reached the stage of treating her tail like a chew toy (which she handled with more grace than anyone had a right to expect from her).

Now at four weeks old, the puppies were growing out of their tiny-fragile-helpless-bean stage, and beginning to look and act more like quintessential puppies. They gamboled, yipped, and played, chasing each other and climbing over everything. They were irresistibly cute: Ben had begun working more and more from home just for the excuse to spend as much time with them as he could.

“How long do you think we’ll need to keep this up, do you think? And what will we do when we’re done?” she asked, confusing him.

“You know far more about all this than I do. You said Christmas originally, right? And then the puppies will be adopted out. I’m going to keep Inks, though, until she can go back to her human. Unless—do you mean coming over all the time? You don’t have to, if you’re too busy.”

Rey shook her head. She held Comet and Donner to her chest, cuddling them both and looking at them rather than him. Ben began to feel uneasy. “No, not the puppies. I mean the dating thing.”

“Oh.”

In all of his calculations about the way “fake” dating Rey could go wrong, somehow it had never occurred to him that the entire arrangement was designed to be temporary—that was the whole point of it. He’d worried about his true feelings being obvious, Rey not reciprocating his attraction when he told her how he felt, getting teased by his family and friends. But somehow this conversation had never occurred to him. He felt like a moron.

“It’s just, you know, I’m sure there are women out there you’d actually like to date, for real. It means the world to me that you helped out around Thanksgiving but I don’t want you to feel like you have to keep going when I’m sure—”

“No.”

“No?” Rey finally looked up at him, her beautiful eyes wide in confusion.

“This isn’t keeping me from anything. I don’t feel like I ‘have to’ keep going. For what it’s worth, I think this has been doing me as much good as you. My mom has been really happy at the idea of us dating. I don’t want you to feel obligated, either, but I’d be all right with extending through New Year’s even. If you want.”

“You would?” A soft blush lit up her cheeks, making Ben smile like an idiot.

“Yeah. Then we can tell everyone that we just decided to be friends instead. That way there’s no drama and, well—I know I’ll still want to be your friend.” Now it was his turn to look at Vixen, Cupid, and Dancer instead of her. When the puppies were adopted and the fake dating was done, he wouldn’t see her as much anymore. Would he see her at all? He hoped so.

“Me too. I wanna be friends, too. In fact, I have a surprise for you, friend.” She grinned at him mischievously, hopped out of the kennel, and retrieved a dvd from her purse. “I brought over _Home Alone_ , since you said you’ve never seen it. And I ordered pizza. My treat, and I don’t wanna hear shit about it!”

“Rey!” he said, waving an outraged hand to indicate all the puppy supplies they’d just set up. “You just brought me at least two hundred dollars worth of free things. Dinner should be my treat, at the very least.”

“Nuh-uh. The supplies are on _loan_ , and they were donated directly by the company through our foster program. I didn’t buy anything. And you feed me constantly, not that I’m complaining.”

He grudgingly accepted this logic, and they sat down to enjoy the movie. Inks had much more freedom of movement now that the puppies were a little bit older, so she settled between them, the better to receive pets from both of them. She’d come out of her shell so much in the last few weeks, and the more Ben got to know her the more delighted he was with her. She no longer hesitated to ask for affection, playtime, or food. And now that she’d learned he and Rey both liked to pet her, she’d taken to sighing loudly as soon as they stopped, in the hope that they’d start back up again. Niner climbed up to sit on top of the sofa headrest, so that she too was in prime arrangement for pets.

The pizza arrived and they enjoyed their dinner. Ben was surprised by how much he liked _Home Alone_ , though of course it might have had something to do with the fact that he was in an incredibly good mood, now had the whole of December to convince Rey to be his girlfriend for real.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These two are the worst fake daters I've ever seen. An insult to the genre. I love them so much. :D
> 
> If you enjoyed reading, please feel free to comment! Or find me on twitter at NightworkJane. <3


	11. Petite Mama Noel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, my sincerest apologies. Fun life stuff happened, and then TROS spoilers happened and...I'll be honest, I needed a minute. But I'm back! And I've got plenty of time off and oodles of motivation to get caught up. Expect puppies, cuddles, and holiday happiness!

Rey wrapped her jacket tightly around herself as she closed Ben’s front door behind her, smiling once again at Ben’s continued offers (threats?) to buy her a heavier coat. It was no wonder that he and Inks and Niner got along so well: all three of them were constantly trying to take care of everyone around them.

“Hey Maz!” She waved to Ben’s neighbor, who waved back, motioning for her to come over. Rey jogged down Ben’s front steps and across the short expanse of lawn to Maz’s front porch. Maz was so fond of sitting outside on her favorite porch swing she’d installed a propane outdoor heater, the kind usually found on the patios of trendy restaurants. She sat basking in its warmth, wrapped in several blankets with her pet possum Buttercup in her lap. Not to be outdone by her mother’s fashion, Buttercup was also decked out in a sweater and a cap. She watched Rey approach while she daintily munched on a small pile of grapes.

“Hi Buttercup!” said Rey, leaning down to pat her behind her fuzzy cap. Buttercup leaned into the touch. “How are you, Maz?”

“Good!” Maz turned her head to the side, giving Rey’s jacket an appraising look. “I see Ben hasn’t bought you a new coat yet.”

“Only because I haven’t let him!” Rey laughed. “And anyway, how do you know he’d been offering?”

“We were talking the other day and he was fretting about it. Anyway, you wouldn’t happen to have any time off tomorrow, would you?” Maz indicated the seat beside her on the porch swing, and Rey sat down.

“I do, actually. Why do you ask?”

“Well, I was thinking of getting started on my Christmas decorations. I swear that damn Larma, down the street—” Maz indicated a house three doors down on the opposite side of the road— “has been trying to outdo me every year for three years. Hmph! What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her. But I will need some help with the heavier things. Ben always volunteers, but then he takes on too much and thinks I don’t notice him limping for three days after. I thought if you helped too it might keep him from throwing out his back.”

“Of course! We can’t let Larma win.” Rey grinned at Maz, whose smile crinkled back at her before her expression turned thoughtful.

“He’s very fond of you, you know. Ben I mean. I don’t think he’d fake-date just anyone.”

Rey stared at Maz, unable to answer. Why would Ben tell her they were fake-dating? Why would he tell her about it at all? Was he that eager to make sure no one outside of his family knew? But if he was that ashamed of her, why did he take her home to Thanksgiving dinner? Why—

“Slow down, child. I can see your wheels turning. I only know it’s ‘fake’ because I was there the other day when you two were on the phone and he referred to himself as a fake boyfriend. He treats you better than a good deal of my real boyfriends treated me, I can tell you that,” Maz said with a snort. She reached over and patted Rey’s knee. “All I’m saying is, you might want to ask yourself every once in a while whether this fake dating turned into a real relationship without either of you noticing.”


	12. Zat You, Santa Claus?

Ben looked forward all day to Rey coming over early to help him with Maz’s Christmas decorations. But he knew something was wrong the second she stepped inside his house. She was smiling, but there was none of the usual spark in her eyes. She wasn’t even fully looking at him, her eyes turned away from him far more than usual. She looked tired, emotionally if not physically. The sight of her dimples when she smiled somehow only made him sad. Inks reacted immediately, hurrying to Rey’s side and nuzzling her hand with her nose until Rey sat on the ground and let her climb into her lap. The puppies and Niner soon followed, until Rey was laughing gently at the surplus of affection.

“Bad day?” Ben sat next to her, watching her face carefully. She shrugged, and gave him that hollow smile again.

“I forgot until this morning, but it’s the anniversary of my—” She broke off, jaw set. “Something bad that happened a long time ago. I’m past it now, and everything’s okay. In fact, this is the first year I only remembered the day of! I’m not even sad, I’ve just got a bit of a headache, I think.” She rubbed her forehead for emphasis.

Ben desperately wanted to push her to confide in him, or find out who or what had hurt her and make them suffer for it, or hold her until she wasn’t sad anymore, but he contented himself with only asking, “Would you like some ibuprofen, or something to drink?”

She turned to look him fully in the eye, this time with a very small but genuine smile. Like every time she made eye contact with him, he was struck again by just how beautiful she was. “Do you have any of those Thin Mints left?”

“I saved them just for you.” He nudged her shoulder.

As he stood to get the cookies for her, there was an almighty _ker-thunk_ on the roof, followed by a series softer thumps and bumps.

“Santa?” Rey deadpanned.

It was not Santa, though that might have been less surprising than the truth. Rather it was Maz, tromping around on Ben’s roof, which she’d accessed via a cherry picker.

“Maz!” Ben shouted, horrified. “Get down—what are you _doing_ up there? You’ll break your neck!”

“You worry too much!” Maz waved at them, and Ben heard Rey snicker behind him. He gave her a repressive look, which only made her snort in mirth. When he looked back at Maz she was waving an illuminated star. “I figured out how to secure it safely without damaging the roof! This way we can put the sleigh and reindeer on my roof, and the star on yours! Come on up!”

Despite his best efforts Ben was absolutely not able to lure Maz down off the roof. However, he and Rey together made short work of placing all the lit figures Maz wanted. There was the eight-pointed star on Ben’s roof, and then the sleigh with Santa and all nine reindeer on Maz’s roof. After that Maz _finally_ agreed to return to solid ground, to direct Ben and Rey while they secured string lights along the second story roof and the roof of the porch. They also hung wreaths in every window. Then the three of them attached garlands and bows to the porch railings, strung net lights over the hedges, and lugged an entire garden’s-worth of live pines and poinsettias from Maz’s car to the porch. Ben had to admit that the final result looked beautiful; Maz had an undeniable flair for design.

She insisted on having dinner delivered for Ben and Rey, despite their protests that she firstly didn’t need to thank them, and secondly even if she wanted to they’d prefer to eat dinner with her than on their own. But she insisted that she’d already made plans to go out with some friends, and that if they didn’t choose something from Postmates she’d order them an extra-large pizza with canned tuna and pineapple. Rey told her to do her worst, but Ben nearly choked at the idea. In the end they chose a local Thai place that was a favorite of Ben’s.

They ate Massaman chicken and beef stew with lemongrass in front of the fire in Ben’s livingroom. They sat in their accustomed configuration on the couch: Ben and Rey at each end, Inks and Niner sleeping between them. Ben got out the wine this time, and by the time they were finished eating they were both feeling pleasantly heavy with warm curry, crunchy spring rolls, and crisp chardonnay. Ben carried his dishes into the kitchen and started the coffee pot and got out the package of Thin Mints, hoping to lure Rey into staying a bit longer and watching a movie. He didn’t hear Rey come into the kitchen until she spoke.

“I think—would it be all right if I told you why today is kind of a bad anniversary?” Her voice was small and soft; he’d never heard her sound so unsure.

“Of course,” he said immediately. He turned to face her. She looked up at him, her expression tearing at his heart.

“My mother and father didn’t want me.”

His first instinct, of course, was to reassure her: he was sure that wasn’t true. But there was something in the way she spoke that made him stay quiet. She took a shuddering breath.

“When I was only a few weeks old, they left me with their drug dealer as collateral, to prove they’d come back with money. They owed him a _lot_ of money, apparently. But of course once they left, supposedly to get the money, they never came back. One of the dealer’s cronies dropped me off at a fire station. I only know all this because he left a note. In fact, that’s the only reason I even know my name. Imagine that: a man who broke knees for a drug dealer cared more about my welfare than my own parents.”

“I can’t imagine that, and wouldn’t want to even if I could,” Ben said gently. Rey shrugged, her eyes filled with tears.

“I tracked them down, you know. After my eighteenth birthday. I was hoping maybe they’d got clean, or maybe they’d be sorry, or at least want to know me now that I was an adult. But no, of course not. They were both dead. Do you know what the worst thing is? I used to—” her voice broke off and she sniffled, looking away as she tried to regain her composure. “I used to wait for them. I was so convinced that they were coming back for me, I used to have a little journal that I would mark every day in. I used to daydream that I was a princess, and that they would come back and rescue me, and take me far away. You know the movie _Princess Diaries_?”

Ben nodded.

“I used to watch that every night to fall asleep, dreaming of when a queen would come to me and tell me that I was her little girl, that she was so sorry we’d been apart for so long, but we’d never be separated again. When I saw my parents’ death certificates, I know it’s stupid but I thought, ‘The people who were supposed to love me didn’t love me, so how can I ever be loved? I’ll always be alone.’”

“You’re not alone.” Ben reached forward and put a hand on each of her shoulders, looking into her eyes. “You’re not alone, Rey.”

Her chin wobbled and her tears spilled over. She leaned forward to hide her face in his shoulder while he wrapped his arms around her waist and held her as she sobbed. “Neither are you,” she whispered. He held her tighter, resting his cheek on the top of her head. He wondered if she had any idea how deeply meaningful her words were to him.

When she’d cried herself out, she wiped her face and shrugged, attempting to smile. “Anyway, that’s why today is a depressing day: it’s the day that man dropped me off. But I really am okay, you know, life-wise. I don’t even know why the anniversary bothers me. It could be so much worse. But thank you, for listening.”

“If I offer you cookies and coffee, will you stay a little longer and watch a movie with me?”

They settled on _It’s a Wonderful Life_ for their movie. They sat on the floor and let the puppies, Inks, and Niner crawl all over them. Between the two of them they finished a brand new box of Thin Mints before Rey fell asleep. Soon she’d turned to him and laid her head on his shoulder, sighing in sleep-filled content. She didn’t wake up until almost the end of the movie, when George was screaming for Clarence because he wanted to live again. Since both of them had already seen it, Rey just watched the final few scenes of the movie with her head still resting on Ben’s shoulder.

“You can stay, if you want.” Ben’s voice was barely a whisper. “I just mean, you can stay in the spare room, or with me—if you want. Not for anything, you know. Just so you don’t have to be on your own tonight.”

“If you let me wear that shirt again, I’m sold,” she said with a jaw-cracking yawn.

They got ready for bed, Ben forgoing a t-shirt this time since he knew Rey didn’t mind him going without. There a brief moment’s hesitation on both their parts before they finally climbed into bed and turned out the light, because this time there was no external reason forcing them to share a bed. They were doing it entirely because they wanted to. At some point it would need to be acknowledged, but not now. Now Ben only wanted to be there for her: both emotionally and as a solid physical presence for her to lean on.It was only a few moment after they turned out the light that he felt her roll over and snuggle up to his chest. He smiled into the dark and put his arm around her. Niner climbed up onto his opposite shoulder, rubbing her face on the side of his for a moment before she too settled down to sleep. Contented himself, and assured that all his girls knew they were safe and cared for, Ben fell into a deep and restful sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you enjoyed, I hope you'll leave a comment! Trust me I love reading them so, so much!! You can also find me on twitter @NightworkJane.


	13. (Luke's Common Sense) Got Run Over by a Reindeer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey so just fyi: Luke acts like a headass in this chapter, and there's some--very temporary!--angst. I'm spoiling my own plot because I know it's been a rough few days in the fandom and I don't want anyone feeling like they're being kicked when they're down. But I'm not characterizing Luke as an antagonist overall, so if he's a fave of yours don't be scared! Also I think you'll like the end of the chapter. <3

The following Monday Ben was surprised to see Rey in the reception area of the office when he came back from lunch, chatting happily with Poe, his mother, and his uncle. Knowing they were watching, he brought her to his chest and enfolded her in his arms. He kissed her cheek and then nuzzled her playfully until she giggled. He caught himself just in time before making a not-in-front-of-your-mother sound at her laugh.

“Hello, darling. You didn’t tell me you were coming in to see me,” he said, voice low. She blushed and, unless he was very much mistaken, shivered a little. He couldn’t help grinning at her. He looked at the others, who were all openly staring at him. “Right, you’ve had your time with her—she’s mine now. Off we go.”

He swooped her up into his arms and carried her bridal style towards his office. “Put me down, you terrible brute!” she laughed, while holding onto his shoulders and making absolutely no effort to free herself.

“A brute, am I? Would a brute share his secret stash of caramel popcorn?”

“On second thought, no need to rescue me, I’m content with my fate!” Rey waved at Poe, who Ben heard laughing so hard he was surely not breathing. He walked them into his office and closed the door with his foot. Then he put her down and made a shushing gesture.

“Give them a minute to speculate. Meanwhile—” He reached behind a potted plant near the window and withdrew a large tin of popcorn. “All caramel. Help yourself.”

Rey opened the tin and settled on the loveseat against the wall of his office. She cradled it like a teddy bear, looking at it with such open hunger that Ben felt a little jealous. Of popcorn. He shook his head at himself in disbelief. She began eating happily, and then looked up confused a moment later. “You don’t want any?”

“I had some earlier,” he said. He settled behind his desk and entered the password on his work laptop. The state of his email inbox was, as always, an utter disaster. Luckily he didn’t have to be in court until the following day, so he had some time to clean it up. “You have all you want. Incidentally, what brings you in today?”

“Just more fundraising stuff. Poe’s helping us follow up on a grant for more free clinic care. I really hope we get it; we’d be able to buy one of those mobile vet trucks and go out into the really rural areas to offer free vaccines and spay/neutering. It’d cut down on the stray—”

The door burst open and a furious Luke stomped in, followed closely by an irritated Leia and a confused Poe.

“Ben!” Luke snapped, pointing a finger at his chest. Ben’s hackles immediately rose. No one had ever gotten under his skin as badly as his uncle, and as far as Ben could tell the problem was mutual. They seemed like an unstable chemical compound: each of them was harmless on their own, but when combined they often created explosions. “What do you think you’re doing? Is it really too much to ask that you show some professionalism? You absolutely _cannot_ behave like that! Rey is a _client!_ What if opposing counsel saw you carry her into your office and close the door? It could damage her whole case! Not to mention the damage to the reputation of this law firm.”

“Rey is his girlfriend, you ridiculous Victorian, Puritan, Boomer stick in the mud,” Leia huffed. “She’s not even here for help with a court case—Poe is just helping her apply for some grants. And please stop shouting, speaking of professionalism.”

Luke gave Leia a nasty look before turning his eyes (still blazing in righteous indignation) back on Ben. Poe scooted past the two siblings and settled himself on the couch next to Rey while Ben seethed. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Poe say something to Rey and then reach into the tin for a handful of popcorn. He’d probably told her not to worry, but she looked stricken with guilt, like a little girl who was being scolded by her mother.

Luke strode forward, eyes locked on Ben’s. The room descended into tense silence. Finally, Luke asked the question Ben just knew he was dying to ask. The one that always hovered on the edge of Luke’s mind, every time Ben made a new friend or secured a new opportunity. “Does she know?”

Ben lifted his chin. “If I showed too much PDA earlier, I apologize. I won’t sweep Rey off her feet in your presence again.”

“So she doesn’t know. Of course not, why would you tell her?” Luke’s eyes blazed in triumph, and Ben began to feel nauseous on top of the fury building in him. Ben had tried for years to please his uncle, to be good enough for him, but nothing ever seemed to work.

“Luke.” Leia’s voice was a low warning, but her brother was past hearing her. He turned to Rey.

“You should know that this family has a history of men behaving possessive and controlling of the women in their lives. My father was very charismatic and charming, just like Ben. Also like Ben he had a terrible temper and lashed out when things didn’t go his way. He became increasingly abusive toward my mother, until he choked her while she was pregnant with Leia and I.”

“ _Luke._ ” Any sane person would have stopped speaking immediately, possibly to never speak again at the tone of Leia’s voice. But Luke went on, undaunted. Rey stared at him with an unreadable expression on her face.

“We had Ben tested when he was a child, because his tantrums lead to violent outbursts. He broke things, hit his parents, had meltdowns and screamed until he lost his voice. His psychological profile is incredibly similar to my father’s. He loves deeply, but not always healthily. And he hasn’t always worked for this firm. He used to work for Jeffrey Snoke.”

“That is enough!” Leia snarled, launching herself in between Luke and Rey, facing Luke. She raised a hand and pointed a finger in Luke’s face. “How _dare_ you treat my son this way. How _dare you_ air the dirty laundry of _anyone_ like that? I don’t want to hear your excuses!” She held up a hand when Luke opened his mouth. “Leave this office right now. When I’ve calmed down we will discuss the future of your employment at this law firm.”

“No.” Ben stood, putting his palms on his desk—bracing for impact. “No, don’t leave, Luke. There’s something I’d like to say. It’s all right,” he said with a nod to his mother. “Well, actually it’s not all right at all, but it will be. Rey.” He turned to face her and tried to give her a smile, but he knew he didn’t quite make it. She looked back at him with sad eyes. “Yes, it’s true that when I was a child I had a hard time controlling my temper. I’m much better at it now. I haven’t broken anything on purpose since I was fourteen. And yes, I used to work for Jeffrey Snoke. I should have seen the signs before I did, but I didn’t. I was stupid and thought I could put politics aside and be ‘objective’ when working at a conservative fim. When I finally realized that he wasn’t ‘conservative,’ he was a fascist, I left. I was also instrumental in his disbarment, for what’s it’s worth, which probably isn’t a lot.”

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them, he looked at Luke. “You don’t have to worry about Rey’s welfare. We’re not really dating—this has actually been a big misunderstanding. Rey needed someone to pose as her boyfriend to make her friends stop pestering her to date Poe. None of you were supposed to find out, but then you did.” He looked at his mother. She wore the same expression now as when he used to cry over animals dying in movies when he was a child—the same child that Luke had insisted they get “tested” for his anger. “I’m so sorry, Mom. I didn’t mean to hurt you, and I didn’t mean to lie to you. To be truly honest, I didn’t really lie. At least, not about my feelings.”

His voice caught as he looked at Rey again. “I’m so sorry to you, too. You don’t deserve to be caught up in all of this. Excuse me.”

He bolted from his office, not daring to look back. He was only a few steps out of his office when Luke and Leia began shouting again, Poe mixed in with them. He decided to go home and spend the rest of the afternoon with the puppies. Once he could be sure Luke had left the office, he’d go back and get his work computer, and maybe work through the night. It would distract him from how terrible he felt.

Would Rey even be comfortable staying on as his vet after all that insanity? He wouldn’t blame her if not. He reached his car, shivering with cold since he’d left his coat behind in his office along with everything else. Between the temperature and the adrenaline, he could barely hold the key fob steady enough to unlock his car. He stood and leaned his forehead against his hand for a moment, trying to calm down and breathe deeply.

“I owe you a new tin of caramel popcorn.”

Rey’s voice made him nearly jump out of his skin. He turned around to find her holding his coat, his scarf, and his laptop bag. She smiled at him hesitantly, and held out the coat. He took it from her and shrugged it on.

“You know, I have it on good authority that you shouldn’t run around in the winter without a coat,” she said. He nodded.

“Why do you owe me popcorn?”

“Because I dumped all yours over Luke’s head shortly after you left.”

Ben stared at her in disbelief, and she scoffed. “You don’t _really_ expect me to listen to that—that— _ooooh_. Never mind, I don’t have any words for him right now that aren’t offensive. He said that he was worried about you controlling me, but who was the one being controlling? Who was the one making decisions for other people? Who was the one acting like he had the final say in who is a good or bad person? Him! It wasn’t fair, and it wasn’t right. No one has the right to talk to you, or about you that way.”

“The things he said were true, Rey,” he said gently. “He may not be the most tactful of people, but he didn’t lie.”

“Nonsense.” She walked forward, suddenly looking nervous. He couldn’t understand why until she put her arms around him and leaned close. So close that he could see only her face, and could feel the warmth of her skin. “Ben, I know everything I need to know about you.”

The kiss was soft—it was barely a kiss at all. Just a gentle brush of her lips, a hint of things to come. She drew back before he even fully understood what had just happened. But when he opened his eyes she was smiling at him, and looked happier than he’d ever seen her.

“Poe said he would meet me at your place in half an hour to do that grant paperwork. So, can I come home with you?”

Ben had to clear his throat twice before he could speak. But when he finally could he said, “Yes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed! If so, please feel free to let me know either here or by finding me on twitter @NightworkJane. Hugs!


	14. God Rest Ye Merry Ben & Rey

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to try to keep the next few chapters short (500-1000) words in an effort to get caught up. It might not be completely realistic to finish with the 25th chapter on Christmas day, but I'm sure gonna give it a shot!

As soon as they were settled into his car, Rey turned on the local station playing Christmas carols. She set the volume low—just audible enough to be a soothing presence, and probably to signal that it was okay if he didn’t want to talk. Then she reached across the center console and took his hand. She held onto it the whole drive home, which brought him more comfort than he could possibly express.

When they got back to his house she followed him inside, giving a soft hello to Inks, Niner, and the puppies.

“You can watch tv, or do whatever you want. I’ve got a bunch of work stuff so I’ll be in my in my office,” he said. Rey scoffed.

“Like hell you’re working.” She marched up to him and removed his scarf, then his coat, which in his distraction he hadn’t even realized he was wearing. She folded them gently over her arm, then pointed to the couch. “You’re gonna lie on that couch and let me cuddle you until you feel better, is what you’re gonna do. Work can wait.”

Then she smiled at him, gave him a quick peck on the lips (one of these days he was going to get her to kiss him long enough that he could react properly), and gave him a little shove toward the couch. Ben was so surprised, and emotionally strung out, that he didn't fight her. He kicked off his shoes, went to the couch, and sat down heavily. Rey nodded once. She went to the kennel and picked up Vixen, then called to Inks.

"Come on, darling. Ben’s had a hard day, and he needs you.” She placed Vixen (who was gnawing on a chew toy) in his lap, and then sat next to him. "How would you like to be snuggled?"

He looked at her helplessly. She went on, "Well, there's a few different ways to snuggle, you know? I could lie down and you could sort of lie on top of me, or you could put your head in my lap, or you could lie down with me sort of on top of you—what do you think you'd like?"

His head spun. He doubted Rey knew how sexy the images she conjured sounded to him, even with the context that she was only trying to comfort him. He tried to think. He didn't want to put his head in her lap because he wanted to hold her. Or, if he was truly honest, what he needed most of all was to be held.

"Don't you think I'd crush you?" he asked tentatively. She wasn't a small woman, and he could easily see how strong she was. But at the same time, there was no denying he had several inches and a good deal of weight on her.

"Nah, you won't crush me." She arranged the pillows so that she was mostly reclining. Then she held her arms out to him. "If you lay with your head over my heart, I think there'll be room for Vixen beside us."

Vixen was still so small that she fit in the palm of his hand. He held her out to the side as he draped himself over Rey, trying not to think about the fact that he had to lay between her legs to do so, or that while his ear was indeed resting over her heart, his head was also between her breasts. He tucked Vixen into the space on the couch cushion next to them.

“Can you hear my heartbeat?” Rey asked softly, carding her fingers through his hair.

“Yeah.” The gentleness of her touch, the warmth of her body, and the sound of her heartbeat undid him. “I can hear it. Thank you, Rey. For sticking up for me, for being here. I— Sorry.” His voice caught and he squeezed his eyes shut tight to try to keep from crying. She stroked his hair with one hand, and smoothed the other across his shoulder blades or down his spine.

“Shh, don’t be sorry. I’m gonna tell you a secret, is that okay?”

He nodded.

“I’ve wanted to snuggle with you like this from the first day we met. So you don’t have to thank me. Just hold onto me, and let me hold onto you.”

He could tell by the sound of her voice that she’d closed her eyes. She sounded content and relaxed, the beat of her heart slow and steady. Ben closed his eyes and relaxed into her warmth and her touch. He soon felt the chaotic storm of his emotions ebbing away to peacefulness.

“You can snuggle with me any time.”


	15. Chapter 15

Rey cradled Ben in her arms until he fell asleep. She loved being so close to him, feeling the weight of his head on her chest and the comfort of his arms around her. Concentrating on stroking his hair and soothing his hurt helped her to not focus too much on her own chaotic emotions. She wasn’t even sure which emotion she was feeling strongest: was it elation that Ben, this amazing man who seemed so far out of her league, returned her attraction and feelings? Or was it her fury at his uncle, for accusing him of being unworthy of love? She’d wanted to take one of Ben’s heavy law books off of the shelves and hit Luke over the head with it. He had no idea how compassionate Ben was, how empathetic. And how respectful he had always been of her boundaries.

She clicked on the tv and watched a few episodes of a Christmas-themed baking show, occasionally reaching over to give Vixen, Inks, or Niner a pat on the head as they circled around a soundly sleeping Ben. Every so often he would hum in his sleep, briefly hugging her tighter or nuzzling his face against her as if trying to get closer. She murmured soft things to him and hugged him back until he relaxed. Eventually she found herself drifting off to sleep, too.

The knock on the door made her jump slightly, which in turn startled Ben awake. “Rey, what’s wrong—are you all right?” His voice was sleep slurred but his reflexes were sharp. He sat up and looked wildly around until she reached out and touched his arm.

“Someone knocked on the door, that’s all.”

“Oh.” He relaxed as quickly as he’d tensed up, falling back against the couch cushions. He rubbed the back of his head, yawned, blinked, and looked over at her, obviously still not fully awake. “Did I fall asleep on top of you?”

“Yeah, you did.” Rey smiled at him. “I liked it. Did you have a good nap?”

That finally woke him up properly. He leaned forward until their noses were almost touching and grinned at her. He looked years younger with such a wide smile on his face, and her heart soared in the hope that she’d see this expression on his face more often. He wove his arms around her waist and pulled her close until she was nearly sitting on his lap. “Only the best nap I’ve ever had in my life. I always sleep wonderfully when you’re here.”

“Then maybe I should stay again tonight.” She stared into his eyes and traced his smile with her fingertips.

“Rey,” he sighed, and hugged her even tighter in his arms, as if she was as much of a revelation to him as he was to her. She hugged him back, soaking in the moment.

Until there was a second, more urgent knock at the door.

“Who is it?” called Ben. To Rey he added under his breath, “I’m not talking to Luke today. We’d only end up shouting at each other.” Rey tucked her head against his shoulder and nodded.

“It’s me, Ben,” came Leia’s voice. Ben huffed, but then kissed the top of Rey’s head and stood, walking to the door to let his mother in. Rey watched from the couch as Leia stomped into the living room and threw her arms around Ben in a ferocious hug.

“Mom, hey. It’s okay,” said Ben. He patted her back, looking a bit shocked at her behavior.

“It is _not_ okay, and you should _not_ accept it. No one gets to run around acting like—I should have been there for you more, Ben. I got caught up in my work when you were younger and I tried so hard to change when you came back to us and I _still_ didn’t see this in my brother. How long has he been treating you like this?”

“I should go,” Rey said quietly.

“No,” Ben and Leia said at the same time. Leia shook her head and moved forward to take Rey’s hands.

“Rey, you don’t have to leave. I want to thank you for sticking up for my son.” Leia gave her a watery smile, which Rey gladly returned. Leia huffed, and seemed to center herself. “From the moment I first saw you two together I’ve known you were good for each other. I’m glad I got that right, at least.”

The three of them sat down at the kitchen table. “I’ve told Luke not to come back to the office for two weeks until we get this sorted out,” Leia began.

“That wasn’t necessary,” Ben sighed, running a hand through his hair. Rey disagreed strongly, but refrained from saying so since she didn’t work for the firm. Leia was way ahead of her.

“Yes it was necessary, extremely so. Luke may think he has his reasons for being a jackass, but there are no excuses for what he did. He allowed his personal history with our father—not even you, our father!—to get in the way of his professional relationship with you. That’s unacceptable, and he needs to face the consequences of that. As a matter of fact, he said as much himself almost immediately after you left. He thought we should fire him.”

“What good would that do?” Ben scoffed. “Look, yes he was being an asshole. But again, he wasn’t wrong. I _have_ grappled with anger issues, Anakin _was_ possessive, and I _did_ work for Snoke. If he really believed Rey was in danger, he did the right thing. His delivery was just shit, that’s all.”

“Maybe his intentions were good. But the thing is, I’m not sure,” said Rey, shaking her head, “I don’t think he actually thought I was in trouble. If he had, wouldn’t he have tried to talk to me privately? I think he was looking for an excuse to be mad at you. It’s good that this is all out on the surface now, instead of boiling away underneath. But Leia’s right, Ben.”

Leia covered Ben’s hand with hers on the table. “My father’s attitudes were demonstrated by his actions. More importantly, so are yours now. You fucked up when you were a kid—so what? Lots of people do. Maybe it’s time all of us, including you, stop punishing you for being related to Anakin. Let’s start appreciating you, Ben, for who you really are.”


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! So...there was a bit of a mishap in that I accidentally left notes for my plans for the rest of the fic up at the beginning of the previous chapter overnight. This is what happens when you stay up late to post! Fortunately some folks let me know, and fortunately my notes were so harebrained they barely make sense even to me. 
> 
> All that said, I do have a plan for the remaining chapters! I hope you enjoy this bit of fluff. <3

Ben wasn’t sure how so many aspects of his life had changed so quickly. He’d started the day in a “fake” relationship with Rey, somewhat despairing of her ever knowing how he truly felt, let alone her ever returning his feelings. Now as his mother stood to leave, he had not only learned that Rey _did_ care for him, but he’d also somehow managed to resolve his lifelong conflict with his uncle. The revelations made his head spin. He needed a drink, he thought. And then maybe Rey would let him lay on the couch with her again, with his head on her chest, and maybe she’d run her hands through his hair, and whisper sweet things to him, and—

“Oh, Ben,” his mother said, turning back to face him and interrupting his thoughts. “I wanted to let you know: I’ve located the woman who left Inks with you. She’s still in the shelter, but she said that once she gets a new place to live she would want Inks back. If you’re willing to give her up, that is. You don’t have to make any decisions now; today has had enough drama already. She’ll be at the shelter for at least three more weeks. So just give yourself some time to think about it.”

The possibility of giving up Inks, who was at that very moment leaning against Ben’s thigh in the hope of extra ear rubs (which she knew very well Ben would give her) hit him like a punch in the gut. He loved Inks dearly. He’d tried so hard not to get attached, because he knew there was always a very strong possibility that she would be going back to her human. Isn’t that what he’d wanted, after all? To protect her and keep her safe until she could be with the person she was supposed to be with? How would it be right, or just, to insist on keeping her after everything that woman went through? It wouldn’t be. Inks deserved to be with her human, but that didn’t make the thought of giving her up any easier. He’d already had to face the fact that the puppies would only be with him for a few more weeks. The thought of Inks not waiting for him anymore when he came from work, of her not sitting on the couch with him and letting Niner lay on top of her to take a nap, of not stopping by Maz’s on their daily walks so she could say hello to Maz and Buttercup, of never again seeing her soft eyes and pink ears—all of it made him want to just curl up into a ball and sob like a child.

Without saying a word, Rey leaned against his other side and stroked a soothing hand along his back. For much of his life Ben had shied away from being touched, but with Rey it was different. He knew her concern was sincere, and while her touch didn’t make his sadness go away, it at least made it more bearable. He took a deep breath and looked into Leia’s eyes. “I promised Inks that she could go home. So if she wants Inks back, and she’s safe, then there isn’t really a decision to be made. We’ll just make sure she knows that if Inks ever needs anything, she can always come to me.”

Leia stepped forward and touched Ben’s cheek. Her tender expression might have made Ben feel squirmy and uncomfortable a few years before, but now he just smiled back at her. She bent down and patted Inks softly on the head. “I’m so glad you were left on Ben’s doorstep, Inks,” she said. “You’ve done a great deal more good than you know.”

When the door closed behind Leia, Rey turned to Ben. “Do you still want me to stay tonight? I don’t have to, if you need some time on your own.”

He rested his forehead against hers. “Please don’t leave.”

“I won’t,” she whispered.

She looked at him with her beautiful green eyes, and her soft smile, and he felt himself fall for her just a little bit more.

“May I kiss you?” he asked, his voice in a whisper to match hers. He was so afraid to shatter the delicate moment. Her smile only widened as she stood up on her tiptoes and threaded her fingers through his hair. Then she leaned close and brushed his nose with hers.

“Yes.”

He kissed her gently to start; he wanted to hold the first moment their lips touched in his memory forever, like a treasured object or a talisman. She felt so right in his arms that even his nervousness was overcome by the sheer rightness of the two of them being together. He felt a whole riot of emotions: joy, relief, comfort, arousal, hope—and the first hint of a deeper emotion he wouldn’t dare let himself name, not yet.

Whether or not he was actually _good_ at kissing, he had no idea. If anything could worry him in such a perfect moment, it would be that Rey was bored or turned off while he was having a transcending and life-altering experience, purely because he had no idea how to kiss. He’d only kissed one other woman in his entire life, and that had been a disaster. It was during a spin-the-bottle game in his teen years that resulted in an awkward peck, immediately after which the girl mimed retching to her friends. But it couldn’t be that bad for Rey, not when she was still holding him, still kissing him, leaning into his chest and smiling into his kisses.

“Can we go upstairs?” she asked him. The question nearly made him swallow his tongue.

“I don’t—I mean, yes. I just, but—yes.” He opened his eyes to look at her, sure that the nonsense that had just left his mouth would make her laugh, and then leave. But she only smiled at him, flashing those adorable dimples, and took one of his hands in both of hers to tug him toward the staircase.

Once they were upstairs Rey took the lead, and Ben was happy to let her. Soon he was sitting on the edge of his bed with her in his lap. His shirt was gone, and Rey was stroking his chest and shoulders while kissing him with a passion that bordered on ravenous. Ben wondered why the hell he hadn’t let her take over his whole life sooner.

They laid back on the bed and he stared up at her while she took of her shirt, flinging it aside and then grinning down at him playfully. The absolute last thing Ben wanted was to spoil his chances with her, but he felt he owed her the truth.

“Rey, I think you should know—I don’t actually know what I’m doing. With any of this. At all.”

This did make her laugh, but not in the way he’d feared. It was a bright, happy giggle that accentuated the flush of her cheeks and the crinkles around her eyes. The sound of it settled into his bones and made him wonder how he’d ever lived without her.

“I’m kind of glad. Do you know why?” She leaned over him, close enough to kiss but not quite touching. “Because I don’t actually know what I’m doing either. With any of this. At all. Do you want to figure it out together?”

He really, really did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These two are such cuties, I swear. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed! If you did, please feel free to leave a comment. I'm a bit behind on responding but I promise they make my day! You can also find me on twitter at @NightworkJane, and on Pillowfort at @JaneNightwork. Trying to be more active on Pillowfort and twitter continues to...disappoint.


	17. Chapter 17

Over the next few weeks Rey continued to come over every day (or almost every day), but the focus of her visits shifted from ensuring that the puppies were healthy to teaching them proper socialization habits, house training, leash etiquette, and basic commands. She also spent a great deal of time pinning Ben to every available flat surface so she could kiss him within an inch of his life, and then drag him upstairs to have her wonderful, delicious, wicked way with him. After that they’d have dinner, and often Rey would sleep over, only slipping out early the next morning with one (or sometimes maybe more than one) quick goodbye kiss and a promise that she’d be back later. Ben floated along those weeks in a happy daze.

“You know, I think we’re getting pretty good at this whole sex thing,” she said one day as she rolled away to reach for a bottle of water on his bedside table. “Wouldn’t you agree?”

Ben shifted toward her, already missing her warm skin. He brushed aside her hair to give her a kiss at the nape of her neck, then nuzzled his cheek against her shoulder. He sighed happily. “Your skin is so soft. Better than silk. Warmer, and I swear softer, too. So nice.” He pulled her into a gentle hug, spooning her from behind but mindful of her still holding the water bottle. When they were settled he gave a contented hum and closed his eyes. He felt Rey laugh softly.

“I’ll take that as a yes, then.”

***

With Rey’s encouragement Ben set up a party for the puppies to meet new people, and invited over everyone he knew to participate. The object was just to get the puppies used to as many new humans as possible, since it would only be another two weeks before they were officially ready for adoption. Each of the puppies was starting to develop a distinct personality, and every day Ben was amazed at how quickly they’d transformed from tiny helpless newborns to intelligent, curious puppies who were ready and eager to explore their world and make new friends.

Everyone who came over seemed happy to help. But then, spending a few hours playing with puppies wasn’t exactly a hardship. Rey was there, of course. There was also Finn and Rose, Poe, Maz, his parents, Chewbacca, and, to his pleasant surprise, his Uncle Luke. While his uncle had already returned to work, they hadn’t yet had time to have a heart to heart since their last, rather melodramatic meeting. Luke wore a sheepish expression when Ben answered the door, which gratified Ben enough to make his welcoming smile sincere. He’d done some reflecting of his own over the past few weeks. While Luke had spent the last thirty years foolishly and stubbornly and overtly denying Ben his approval, Ben had spent the last thirty years foolishly and stubbornly and overtly trying to force Luke to grant him his approval. Neither one of them was going to move forward unless they both made an effort to change their dynamic.

“You’re just in time. There’s nine puppies, and eight people. If you hadn’t been here we’d have had to draw straws on who got to play with the extra puppy, and if Uncle Chewie hadn’t won, it might have got ugly. But he’ll give up Rudolph to you.”

Luke gave a wry smile. “I go where I’m needed—we can’t have Chewie ripping anyone’s arms off.” He held up a small bag from PetSmart. “I actually brought some stuff for Niner and the dogs. Call it early Christmas gifts.”

“Oh. Thank you. Let’s run these by Rey to make sure they’re puppy safe, but thank you, regardless.”

Inside the bag was a laser toy for Niner, a Kong for Inks, and a few small toys for the puppies, all of which Rey declared were exactly what they needed.

“I asked one of the cashiers for help,” Luke said with a shrug, but Ben could tell he was pleased to have got it right all the same.

The party went well. The puppies loved the attention, scurrying from human to human. Rey taught everyone how to teach the puppies a few tricks and commands, to help the puppies learn that “sit” meant they needed to sit no matter who was saying it. But mostly the puppies just played and soaked up all the new stimuli from the crowd of people who wanted to give them attention and affection.

Han (and Leia, though she was slightly more reluctant to admit it) fell head over heels in love with Donner and Blitzen. The smile the puppies brought out of Han made him look at least twenty years younger.

“Leia, look at them go!” he laughed when both puppies latched onto the opposite end of the rope toy he was holding and pulled with all their might, making ferocious play-growls.

“Teamwork,” Leia nodded. Ben saw her smiling affectionately at Han while he was grinning at the puppies, and it warmed his heart. “Let go of the rope and let them think they won, Han, it’ll give them a thrill.”

The amusing result of this well-intentioned advice was that both puppies tumbled back over themselves in a cream-and-hazelnut ball of puppy fluff. But they righted themselves soon enough and rushed forward for snuggles and reassurance.

Ben and Rey, meanwhile, were playing with Dasher and Vixen. Ben had meant it when he said that he tried not to have any favorites among the litter, and it was true that he loved them all. But it was also true that Vixen and Dasher had earned very special places in his heart. Vixen was still the smallest of the group. She’d been gaining weight steadily and hadn’t had any further health complications apart from growing slowly, but she was still a little behind. Rey had reassured him hundreds of times that this was normal and Vixen would live a long and healthy life. Her personality was playful, vibrant, and precocious. Ben often reflected that “Vixen” was exactly the right name for her. She was extremely friendly, to the point that he often worried she’d break her tail if she didn’t stop wagging it with extreme abandon. Dasher, on the other hand, was exactly like his mother not only in his pure white coat but also in his personality. He fretted after the other puppies, whining if they strayed too far from Inks. He was otherwise quiet and shy, but incredibly sensitive. He lacked the manic energy of most of the other puppies, and seemed to want nothing more than to be held all the time.

“We shouldn’t have named you Dasher,” said Ben, looking down at the puppy who was fast asleep, sprawled half on Ben’s lap and half on Rey’s. “You do remarkably little dashing.”

“Well, he was only a few hours old when we named him that, to be fair. And we’d had absolutely no sleep. Still, maybe he’ll grow up to the rambunctious one and Vixen will mellow into the lapdog.”

Ben laughed at this. “Who can say? Anything’s possible. Though I wish there was some way to guarantee I’ll always know how they’re doing, even after they’re adopted. The thought of not knowing what they’ll be like when they’re fully grown makes me sad.”

“Well, you can always write into your adoption contract that you stay in touch. And hey, maybe some of your friends and family will want to adopt some of these guys.” She gestured around the room, to everyone happily partaking in the puppy love. “But as for Vixen and Dasher, I’ve got a theory they might not be going too far.”

“Why do you say that?” Ben asked. “Are you thinking of adopting them?”

“No, dummy, I meant you. And for what it’s worth, I think you should go for it! A bit of permanent dog energy around here might do the place good. Niner can’t solve all the world’s problems on her own, you know. She’ll need the help. Plus, I think she’s going to miss the dogs as much as you will when they’re gone. You wouldn’t take _all_ her friends away, would you?”

“You make a persuasive argument. Have you ever considered a career in law?”

Rey laughed. “Not a _chance_. I’d literally rather stick my arm up a horse’s ass and scoop out its poop than memorize all the shit you have to memorize.”

“Why in God’s name would you stick your arm up a horse’s ass?” Luke asked, eyes wide with horror. Ben hadn’t realized everyone could overhear their conversation, and apparently neither did Rey, whose cheeks had turned bright red.

“Oh don’t tease the poor girl, she only does it to save the horse’s life,” said Maz. “Horses can’t throw up, so if they eat something they shouldn’t, it’s gotta come out the other way. And if it doesn’t come out on its own, well, it’s still gotta come out.”

“We wear protective gear,” Rey said quietly. At this, Han’s expression of suppressed humor broke into a loud guffaw, which everyone joined in on.

When the moment passed, Rey turned back to him. “You really should think about keeping a puppy or two. I think it’d do you good.”

“I’ll give it some serious thought,” he promised. She bumped his shoulder with hers and kissed the tip of his nose.

“Good.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you enjoyed, feel free to let me know! I love hearing from you all. The fic has had the wild chaotic energy of a puppy, and your support and feedback have made that much more fun to write! Love to you all. <3


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a rough few days in the fandom, and I'll be honest, I've done some serious thinking about how and whether I want to continue to be active. And the final answer is: post more fluff. <3

A few days later Rose joined Ben and Rey for dinner. She and Finn had both fallen deeply in love with Comet, and despite their staunch “no pets for the first year until we get our vet business off the ground” rule, she was coming by to meet Comet again, because they were thinking about adopting her.

Ben fretted over the stove as he cooked dinner; Finn was such a good cook that he knew Rose was used to eating well, and he didn’t want to disappoint her. This was also the first time the they would be spending time together, just the three of them. He was all the more eager to make a good impression since his “fake dating” with Rey had become real dating. He knew how much Rey valued Rose’s opinion, and he wanted to meet her approval as Rey’s boyfriend. 

If that wasn’t already enough to set his delicate nerves on edge, he was struggling with his feeling about giving up the puppies for adoption. He’d known it was coming, and was frustrated with himself that it was still so hard. It should’ve been a happy occasion. If Finn and Rose adopted Comet, she’d be going to the perfect home. He trusted and respected them. He’d even get to see her occasionally, as long as Rey cared to keep him in her life. But much like the idea of Inks going back to her human, the thought of little Comet not being around anymore tugged at his heart. 

He could keep all ten dogs, right? Surely that wouldn’t be unreasonable. He could walk them in shifts or something. 

He rolled his eyes at himself and tried to channel his excess energy into sautéing chicken breasts with lemon juice, garlic, and rosemary. Rey stood next to him at the counter, cutting up tomatoes and cucumbers for a salad. There were advantages to things going back to normal, he reminded himself. He didn’t need the excuse of the puppies to spend time with Rey anymore, because they were really seeing each other. And it would be nice to take her out for a date or spend time at her apartment without constantly checking his watch to make sure he hadn’t left the puppies alone too long. 

“I’m sorry you always have to come here, instead of me coming to you,” he said. He’d picked her up at her place once or twice to take her to a movie or to bring her dinner when she wasn’t able to come to him, but he’d never been able to spend any real time with her there. 

“That’s just because of the puppies,” she shrugged. “Besides, I share a tiny apartment with a roommate, and you’ve got this great big house all to yourself, not counting your fuzzy roommates. I like it here.” She leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “I like that you’re being considerate, though.” 

He took her in his arms and brushed her nose with his, just to make her smile. “I like that you’re okay with how much time the puppies take. And I like that you like it here.”

They were grinning at each other like children when there was a knock at the door. They let Rose in, exchanging hugs and pleasantries before all three of them were summoned by the yips and barks of the puppies. Their playpen was still in the living room, but the whelping box had been replaced with a much bigger, sturdier enclosure. Rose leaned down and scooped up Comet, cradling her against her chest and making kissy faces at her. Comet responded by licking her nose. 

“I adore her. Can I please, please keep her?” Rose asked. Ben laughed as Comet’s tail beat an elated tattoo against Rose’s arm.

“She adores you too, I think. How could I refuse?”

The puppies were old enough that they could all be let out of the kennel at the same time with supervision (and with the doorways to other rooms blocked off by baby gates). Rose, Rey, and Ben sat on the floor and let the puppies romp around them. As usual, Niner and Inks were both in the center of the action. Inks occasionally got up to check on her puppies, but spent most of her time beside Ben with her head in his lap, the way she used to lay when she was nursing. Niner, on the other hand, had taken a special shine to Rose, and actually nudged Comet off of her lap so she could curl up with her. Rose just laughed and scratched behind Niner’s ear while she made biscuits on her knee. 

“Niner’s a determined snuggler,” said Rose. 

“She really is,” said Rey. She laced her fingers through Ben’s and nudged his shoulder with hers. “And she’s got good taste. She picked Ben to be her person.”

Naturally this lead to Ben telling the story of how he’d been out for drinks with Poe and a few other friends a few years earlier when they’d found Niner in the parking lot of the bar. Everyone tried to lure her to them with coos and offers of food, but she only responded to Ben. They’d been inseparable ever since. 

“And you should see them when Ben falls asleep on couch. Ben will sleep on his side with his arms crossed over his chest, and this little frown on his face.” Rey imitated the frown, much to Rose’s amusement. “Then Niner will squ-eeee-ze her way underneath Ben’s arms, so he’s holding her like a teddy bear. Then Ben goes all peaceful and stops frowning. It’s the most adorable thing.”

“You two are the most adorable thing,” Rose countered. “Just look at you. You’re so much more relaxed now that you’ve been dating a bit longer. Almost as though you’re actually dating for real now, when before you were only pretending.”

Ben suppressed his panic. He was sure he could talk his way out of this—he was a lawyer after all—but Rey caved almost right away.

“I’m so sorry, Rose. It’s just, you and Finn were so worried about me, and Poe and I aren’t really a thing, and I thought maybe if you thought I was dating someone, that you wouldn’t be as worried? But I really did like Ben all along, and then it turned out that he really did like me all along, so, well. Here we are.”

Rose waved off Rey’s apology. “It’s all right, Rey. I’m sorry too. We were worried, but we didn’t want you to feel pressured. Poe came to us shortly after you two started ‘dating,’ and explained everything. He mentioned that he thought there was something real between you two. We decided to play along, since it seemed like that was what you wanted, and since we’d already meddled enough. I’m glad you two are happy.”

Rose and Rey hugged, while Ben rubbed his forehead in frustration. “So you knew the whole time because Poe let you in on it?” he asked. Rose smirked. 

“Well, so, the thing is—yes. But it all worked out in the end, right?”

Ben held eye contact until Rose began to squirm. “You forced us to share a bed, knowing we weren’t really dating.”

“But I knew you liked each other! I didn’t need Poe to tell me that. It was obvious.”

“What if Rey hadn’t wanted to share a bed with me?”

Rose chortled, which startled Niner awake from her nap. She muttered something under her breath about “not for sleeping,” which Ben pretended not to hear when he saw Rey shoot her a warning look.

Ben made a show of smoothing out the sleeves of his sweater, and put on his Courtroom Face. This was an expression that never failed to strike fear into the heart of his opponents, but Rose just looked at him calmly, one brow ever-so-slightly arched. He began to appreciate how she’d become friends with Rey and Poe.

“I’m prepared to overlook your transgressions and still allow you to adopt Comet.” He raised a finger, and Rose’s brow arched higher, along with the corners of her mouth twitching upward in a smile. “On one condition. You have to put your romantic meddling to good use and help Rey and I force Poe and Amilyn to admit their feelings for each other.”

“Done!” shouted Rose, at the same time Rey clapped her hands and said “Yes!!”

“Done and done,” said Ben, reaching forward to shake a laughing Rose’s hand. 


	19. Chapter 19

After dinner (which Rose assured Ben was delicious, to his relief), the three of them went back to the living room to spend more time with the puppies. Rose took a small notebook out of her purse, uncapped a pen, and then looked at Ben and Rey expectedly. “So, about the Amilyn and Poe situation: what do we know?”

“Well, Poe and Amilyn have known each other for a long time. At least five years, I think. Amilyn’s a friend of my mother’s, and Poe’s a friend of mine, as you already know.” Rose hmm’d and made a note. “Their age difference isn’t as high as you’d think: Poe’s older than me and Amilyn’s younger than my mother. I do think there’s attraction there on both sides—”

“For _sure_ ,” Rey chimed in. “After the way they were at your family’s Thanksgiving? No doubt.”

“But they’re both too proud to make the first move. Poe gets defensive because he thinks Amilyn looks down on him for being younger and impulsive. Amilyn gets defensive because she thinks he doesn’t respect her authority.”

“I see,” Rose nodded. “A difficult case. Are their perceptions of each other correct?”

“No. Well, kinda,” Ben hedged. Rose signaled for him to go on. “I think they were true when they first met. And they have this kind of powder keg chemistry. Sometimes it’s hard to tell if they really don’t like each other or if it’s just sexual tension.”

“Sexual tension,” Rey said decisively. Ben raised his eyebrows, while Rose nodded and scribbled several more notes. “The way she _looked_ at him, Ben. Sexual tension, I'm telling ya.”

Ben shrugged in concession. “I’ll take your word for it. If they still didn’t respect each other, I wouldn’t encourage them. But now that they’ve been around each other for longer, and working together for a few years, I think both their perceptions of each other have changed. They’re just locked in an old pattern of arguing and defensiveness that they can’t seem to get out of. I’ve tried to encourage Poe to be honest with her, but no dice.”

“Hmm, so they’re not going to get out of this rut on their own, and talking to them won’t help. Well, I think I’ve got just the thing.” Rose underlined something with great emphasis. “We’re going to execute a time-honored maneuver. The _Much Ado About Nothing_.” 

“I’m not framing my coworker for premarital sex. This is the twenty-first century,” said Ben. “I like Shakespeare as much as the next person, but that’s ridiculous.”

Rose looked at him like he’d grown an extra head, or three. “No, you fool. We’re gonna wait until Poe and Amilyn by themselves and then have a loud conversation within earshot about how badly the other one is pining for them.”

Ben felt himself blush as Rey dipped her chin in the opposite direction, ostensibly to give Dancer a pat on the head, but really to hide that she was laughing at him.

“Oh. Well, yes. That makes more sense,” he said.

“Naturally. Now, for location. This is important because we need to place ourselves so that each of them will _think_ they’re alone, but they’ve got to be able to eavesdrop on us. And nobody else can come swooping in, or they’ll have to stop eavesdropping. Ben, do you think you can manage that at work, for either Amilyn or Poe?”

“Better not to risk it.” Ben shook his head. “I can get my mom in on it, but we have plenty of staff that walk around all the time. Plus there’s Luke. I don’t think he’d approve of this idea.”

“Never mind, that’s all right.” Rose made a few more notes without looking up. “We’ll handle Poe at the clinic. Amilyn wasn’t here for the puppy socialization party—does she not like dogs?”

“Oh no, she does,” said Ben. “She was planning on coming over during one of our lunch breaks this week to meet the puppies and see if she got along with them.”

“Perfect! Rey will bring lunch to you, and you can pounce on her then.”

“Amilyn is shrewd. Very shrewd. I don’t mean to cast doubt on your skills as a matchmaker, but I also don’t want her to kick my ass.”

“No one is kicking your ass while I’m around,” said Rey, with utter finality. Ben lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles.

“I believe you,” he said. Rey grinned and blushed.

They spent the next few hours ironing out the details of how they’d trick Amilyn into thinking she was overhearing a private conversation between Ben and Rey, in which they were supposedly discussing how much Poe was in love with her and wasting away from unresolved sexual tension. Meanwhile, Rose would lure Poe to the clinic for a few hours, so that when they were done with Amilyn they could repeat the process with Poe. 

“Once they both know that the other is in lust with them, they should be able to work it out on their own. If not, we regroup and try again.”

Ben was apprehensive about the adventure he’d gotten himself into. He’d thought that Rose would just throw a bunch of parties and invite both Amilyn and Poe; this scheme ran the risk of pissing off both Poe and Amilyn. Poe’s anger he could face, but Amilyn was a force to be reckoned with. Still, if the plan worked the results would be worth the risk, and no matter what happened, it would make for a great story.

Amilyn and Ben drove the short distance to his house together over their lunch hour a few days later, chatting about the puppies and the cases they were both working on. Rey’s car was already in front of the house when he pulled up, and he saw her chatting with Maz on her front porch. She waved to them when she saw Ben’s car, and met them in front of his door with a kiss for Ben. She held up the bag she was carrying and smiled at Amilyn. “I brought Cava, cause Ben said you like it.”

“Thank you, that’s very sweet,” Amilyn said with a smile. She looked back and forth between them. “I have to tell you, Rey, I’ve heard so much about you, and all of it good. I’m very glad to meet you.”

They went inside, and Amilyn was immediately enraptured by the puppies, but even more by Inks. Inks came forward to greet all three of them (Ben had noticed that her confidence had gone up a great deal in the weeks she’d been living with them, and was so proud of her progress), sniffing at Amilyn’s hand curiously. Amilyn bent down and spoke softly to Inks, caressing her on the back and murmuring what a good, brave girl she was, and asking if it was all right for her to meet the puppies. Inks nuzzled at Amilyn’s chin and wagged her tail. 

“Amilyn, is it okay if Rey and I take Inks for a walk? She hasn’t had one since this morning, and that will give you a minute to get to know the puppies without us hovering over you,” said Ben.

“Of course.” Amilyn, already sitting on the floor, laughed as Donner, Comet, Vixen, and Rudolph all scrambled into her lap. 

Rey and Ben accordingly took Inks on a short walk, as Ben usually did when he came home for lunch. Inks had discovered the joys of a retractable leash in the past week or so, and thoroughly enjoyed zooming all the way ahead of Rey and Ben, finding something to sniff, and then lingering there until Rey and Ben had passed her. Then, just before the leash was fully extended, she zoomed out ahead of them again. Seeing her play and relax was a balm to Ben’s soul, and she made his heart feel all the more light when she occasionally paused in her games and circled back to him and Rey for heat pats and praise. 

“Do you really think this will work?” he asked Rey as they walked back up the sidewalk to his house. Rey nodded.

“Of course I do. Listen, if I’d overheard someone talking about how you were wasting away with supposedly unrequited longing for me, I’d have jumped your bones the next time I saw you, no question.” Rey grinned up at him, her cheeks pink with cold and her eyes glinting with mischief. His heart squeezed in his chest with a tenderness he’d never felt before. He looked into her eyes and hoped that his expression conveyed everything he felt, because he didn’t have time to sweep her off her feet and kiss her senseless—they had a job to do.

As they reached the porch, Rey said, loud enough that she was sure to be overheard, “Hey, Ben, let’s hang out here for a minute. I want to talk to you about Poe.”

Ben had taken care to open the window in his living room just a tiny bit; not enough to let in a significant amount of cold air, but just enough to ensure that a conversation had on the front porch would be easily heard inside the living room. 

“What’s wrong with Poe?” 

“I’m worried about him! He brought Bebe in for some booster shots and we got to talking. He’s just—he’s so down. I asked him if he’d told Amilyn how he feels and he started _crying_.”

“What? No,” said Ben, wincing a little at the exaggerated tone of his voice. Rey stifled a giggle. “But he’s seemed so much happier lately! I thought it was getting better!”

“You know how he doesn’t like to worry you,” said Rey. Ben flicked his eyes in the direction of the window, and saw the curtain move ever so slightly. 

“Well yeah, but I told him—he’s got to _tell her_ how he feels. He just won’t listen!”

“He says every time he sees her face, his heart aches so much he thinks he’ll die. And she’ll never know, because he’ll never tell her. He’s convinced she could never care for him. It’s so sad! I even said he should look for another job, but he said no, because even though seeing her every day is torture, he’d rather be tortured by seeing her than have her vanish from his life completely.”

This speech was delivered so sincerely and passionately that Ben caught himself almost believing Poe had really said those things. The funny thing was, when he thought about it, that a less dramatic version of the feelings Rey described was probably true.

“But what can we do? My mother says she thinks Amilyn is in love with Poe, too, but she also said that Amilyn is so proud and stubborn she’d dive off a cliff without a parachute just to prove she isn’t afraid of heights.” 

At this the curtain moved again, and a faint “ugh!” could be heard on just the other side of the window. 

“Hey you said it, not me,” said Rey.

“ _I_ didn’t say it, my mother said it,” Ben corrected. This was actually true, and Ben wanted it on record, just in case. 

“Well, I guess we’ll just have to encourage him to see other people. Maybe if he goes on a few dates he can finally start to fall out of love with Amilyn, you know? I know you like Amilyn, and she seems great! I just hate to see him pining so much. He deserves to be loved. What about Rose’s sister, Paige? She might be a good match for him.”

“Hmm, maybe. Let’s all four of us go out for drinks this weekend. Anyway, should we go in?”

“Yeah, let’s.”

They went in and found Amilyn sitting on the floor, clutching Prancer to her heart. She looked a bit feverish, with color in her cheeks and glassy eyes. Prancer, a grey puppy with a white tummy and white socks, was happy to soak up the attention. Most of the other puppies swirled around Amilyn’s lap, and the remaining ones were playing a game of gambol-and-pounce with Niner a few feet away. 

“Amilyn—I don’t mean to pry, but are you okay?” Rey asked gently. Ben looked at Amilyn again and saw why Rey was concerned. She was holding Prancer especially tight, and her mouth was pressed into a firm line. He couldn’t tell what emotion she was feeling, but whatever it was, Amilyn was keeping a tidal wave of something in check, and it looked as though she was losing the battle. At the sound of Rey’s voice, however, she pasted a polite smile onto her face and nodded her head.

“Of course. I’m perfectly fine, thank you. Ben, has anyone reserved Prancer? I think I’d like to adopt her.”

“That’s good news! I’m sure you’ll be perfect for each other.”

“Yes, I think so too,” Amilyn said absent-mindedly. “Ben, I’m sorry to cut your lunch short, but do you think we could go back to the office now? It’s just, there’s something I need to take care of as soon as possible.”

Ben carefully avoided looking at Rey, because if he did he knew he’d give the game away instantly. Instead he just nodded and said, “Of course, Amilyn. No problem.”


	20. Chapter 20

Amilyn was quiet on the drive back to the office, a small frown on her face. Ben considered confessing to everything and apologizing, because the point hadn’t been to hurt her feelings. He was just about to say something when she spoke. 

“I told myself I wasn’t going to make any sudden decisions about the puppies. But then as soon as I met Prancer—I don’t know. She seemed like the dog for me. Headstrong and confident, but still sweet and loving.”

Ben had a strong suspicion that they weren’t actually talking about Prancer anymore, though the description fit both Poe and the puppy. He made a “hmm” of agreement, hoping that she would keep talking.

“Ben, do you think I’m too strict? Too formal? For so long I had to fight tooth and nail to be taken seriously, and I wonder sometimes if it’s left me hard-hearted. I mean at work, or—maybe even in general?”

Ben looked over at her for a moment before he turned his eyes back to the road with a scoff. “Don’t be ridiculous. People don’t like powerful women who are good at their jobs and don’t accept other people’s bullshit. They try to reduce them to only those traits and ignore all the others. I learned that from watching how people treat my mom. And you are not hard-hearted. No one who’s spent any time around you could think that. Though why you’re asking the office grump is beyond me.”

Amilyn answered this with her own “hmm.” He didn’t have to see her face to know she was giving him one of her sideways smiles. “But you haven’t been so grumpy lately, have you? Not since you met Rey.”

He shrugged in acknowledgment, trying to fight off a blush. Amilyn went on, “In fact, I think this is the happiest and most relaxed I’ve ever seen you. She seems like a good influence. It’s not every day you meet a woman willing to dump a pail of her favorite snack over Luke Skywalker’s head to defend your honor.”

Ben laughed. “I wish I had been there to see that.”

“I’m happy for you,” she said quietly, but without the sadness that had been tugging at her voice earlier in their conversation. “You deserve it.”

He dropped Amilyn off at the office, making some last-minute excuse about needing to run an errand, then sped over to the Desert Stormflower Veterinary Clinic for the second phase of the _Much Ado About Nothing_ operation. So far, he reasoned, so good. 

He found Rey and Rose both sitting behind the front desk, just finishing up reassuring a little girl and her mother that the kitten they’d dropped off to be spayed would be in excellent hands and would feel better very soon. Ben waited until the mother and daughter left, then greeted Rey with a hug and kiss, while Rose stood in the background with a devilish grin. Ben kept Rey tucked into his side, marveling at how lovely, right, and comfortable it felt to be near her. That he was swiftly falling in love with her seemed less like a revelation and more like a foregone conclusion. 

“Rey tells me that everything is proceeding according to plan.” Rose rubbed her hands together like a movie villain. “Excellent work, my minions.”

“I think the power has gone to her head,” Ben said confidentially to Rey. 

“Oh no, this is perfectly normal Rose behavior. But don’t worry, she uses her powers for good.” 

“Yes yes, you’re all very lucky you have me, or you’d be pining and miserable.” Rose pointed at both Ben and Rey, and then circled her hand in a gesture meant to represent the dozens of other people she’d helped get their romantic acts together. “Now, the trap is set. All that remains is to spring it.”

The “trap” they’d laid for Poe was in one of the Clinic’s storerooms, where he was preparing traps of his own for Desert Stormflower’s next round of capturing feral cats for their barn cat program. He’d generously volunteered to spend his lunch hour lining the traps with newspaper and placing bits of canned fish in them as bait. The storeroom had a swinging door and no soundproofing, so if the three of them stood nearby, Poe should be able to hear everything they said. The three of them walked into an exam room across the hall and took care to leave the door open.

“Thanks for offering a consult on this little girl, Rey. Her name is Nina,” Rose said loudly. She picked up an animal that Ben at first glance was sure was a rabbit, but was in fact an in fact the tiniest adult dog he’d ever seen. She turned her head and looked at him with her pathetic Chihuahua eyes, her oversized ears drooping in sadness. Ben, who generally hated Chihuahuas, felt his heart soften for her.

“Ah, I see the issue,” said Rey, snapping into business mode immediately. She reached forward and gently moved the tiny dog’s front leg back and forth, which Ben noticed was positioned awkwardly against her body. And it was so _tiny_. He’d seen chicken wings larger than Nina’s entire leg. “Yeah, that looks like it was a rough break when she was a puppy, and it healed wonky. Gotta be honest, you can do x-rays if they owner wants, but I think her best bet for a long and pain-free life is to be a tripod dog.”

Rose nodded. “The owners say she already gets around great on three legs, so they weren’t upset by the idea. They’re cool.”

“Shouldn’t they have brought her in when she broke her leg?” Ben asked, indignant on the small dog’s behalf. 

“They only just adopted her a few weeks ago, and this break is over a year old,” Rose soothed. “You wanna hold her? She prefers men; it’s a father and son who adopted her.”

Before the puppies he would’ve said no, because he was worried he’d hurt her. But the puppies had been even smaller than Nina, and he’d managed with them just fine. So he held his arms out and accepted her. She looked up at him, her bat-like ears perked forward in curiosity. Then she nestled her nose into his elbow, closed her eyes, and went to sleep.

“Speaking of men who adopt dogs,” Rey said, “Ben, is Poe going to adopt any of the reindeer pups, do you think?”

“I don’t know. But Amilyn was over today, and she’s going to adopt Prancer.”

“Oh so she’s officially adopting her? Good! At least she’ll have Prancer to help her get over her _broken heart_ ,” Rey said, turning her head to ensure that her last two words echoed around the exam room. Nina awoke in Ben’s arms and gave Rey a judgmental look before settling back into Ben’s elbow. 

“What do you mean, broken heart?” Rose asked, concern written all over her face. Poe was faced away from them, but through the tiny circular window in the storeroom door, Ben could see him stop moving, shoulders tense. 

“I talked to her while you were walking Inks, Ben. Did you know that she’s completely in love with Poe?”

Across the hall there was a loud clatter and a muffled curse as Poe dropped whatever he’d been holding.

“What was that?” Ben stage whispered, looking in the opposite direction of the noise. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Poe’s face appear in the window and then quickly disappear again. Ben smirked to himself. 

“Dunno. Anyway, she says she’s been in love with him for _years_ , but he won’t look twice at her! Can you believe that?!”

“She’s beautiful,” Rose hissed. “What is his problem?”

“Oh, well, if you listen to her, nothing! It was ‘Poe’s so smart,’ and ‘Poe’s so brave,’ and ‘Even when I yell at him to stop being reckless, it’s only because I can’t stand the idea of him being in harm’s way.’ I asked her why she never told him she loves him, and she said she couldn’t bear to hear him laugh in her face.”

“I don’t think he’d laugh at her,” Ben said, perfectly serious. “In fact, I think he might have feelings for her, too—”

“Well in that case it’s even worse! Letting her think he sees her as some sort of stodgy nuisance when he’s been attracted to her too this whole time and is just too damn _stubborn_ to admit it,” said Rey. High color had come into her cheeks. Ben quirked an eyebrow at her and she huffed, but gave him a small smile. 

“He should be honest with her,” Rose agreed loudly. “It’s not going to be good for their mental health or working relationship if both think the other has a poor opinion of them. Especially if romantic feelings are involved.”

“Do you know Amilyn actually said she might leave the firm and move somewhere far away?” said Rey.

“ _What?_ ” This time it was Poe’s voice that echoed across the hall, and it took all of Ben’s control not to react to it. He saw similar struggles on Rose’s and Rey’s faces. 

“Hmm. Really?” Ben asked politely, trying as hard as he could not to burst out laughing. 

“Yeah! I told her not to, but she said the heartache was getting to her.”

“Well let’s hope Poe gets his head out of his ass sooner rather than later, then,” said Rose. She turned her back to the door and gave Ben and Rey a wide grin. Then she said, “All right, enough gossip. We should get back to the front. And you, Ben, should stop distracting one of our staff with your manly charms.”

The three of them walked back out front (Ben reluctantly giving up Nina to a nurse so she could be prepped for surgery), and only had to wait three minutes before a flustered Poe emerged from the back.

“Oh hey guys! Good to see you. Listen, I’m not quite finished with the cages but I need to leave now—sorry, got an urgent call from the office—be back later maybe? Anyway, I tried, sorry, bye now!”

And with that, he disappeared. 

Rose, Ben, and Rey exchanged smirks. Rose rubbed her hands together again. “Excellent.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wonder what Poe had to take care of that was so urgent? Huh, guess we'll never know. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed! If you did, please feel free to leave a comment. I'm also available on twitter as @NightworkJane.


	21. Chapter 21

Ben returned to the office and found that all hell had not, in fact, broken loose. He was surprised, and wondered if somehow Poe and Amilyn had managed to talk everything out quietly on their own. Then he saw Poe sitting at his desk with his head in hands, practically vibrating with anxious energy. Had it all gone wrong?

Instead of going into his office, Ben went into the kitchenette, which had a view of Poe’s office. He washed his coffee cup, refilled the napkin holder, and made enough coffee for everyone at the office in his French press. As he loitered, he weighed his options. He could ask Poe what was wrong. He could get on with his own (sorely neglected) work and trust Poe to come to him when there was something that needed to be said. He could go to Amilyn and ask if she was all right. 

His mother walked into the kitchenette with a worried expression, her frown lines only softening when Ben wordlessly took her coffee cup and filled it for her. 

“Something’s wrong with Poe and Amilyn,” she said. Then, with a hint of her usual smirk, “More than usual, I mean. Amilyn’s been pouting since she came back from lunch with you. She _never_ pouts; I didn’t even know her lips turned that way. What’d you do to her?”

“She loved the puppies,” Ben said, because he knew if he said “nothing,” Leia would know he was lying immediately. The trick didn’t work. She narrowed her eyes at him.

“And Poe’s been acting like a circus tiger I saw once in a documentary. They got the poor thing into a sanctuary and it took him three days to stop pacing and to figure out what grass was. He’s acting like that, like he’s been cut loose and can’t handle it. What I want to know is, how they ended up like this, and whether it’s the same thing that got to them both.” 

Ben made a noncommittal sound into his coffee cup. Leia would’ve pressed him further if Amilyn hadn’t walked into the kitchenette just as she opened her mouth. Ben held up the French press in offer, and Amilyn made a grateful sound.

“Leia, could you help me with something? I’ve been in discovery hell for hours and I just can’t—”

“ _Amilyn_!”

It was difficult to tell who was the most surprised by Poe’s outburst. Ben was so startled he jumped and sloshed coffee over his hand, Leia clutched at her heart and cursed, Amilyn yelped out loud, and Poe himself looked as if Amilyn’s name had left his mouth against his will. Still, he gritted his teeth and walked out of his office, fists clenched in determination. 

“I don’t want you to leave,” he said, color high in his cheeks. His voice betrayed the cost of giving up his pride to tell her how he felt. He sighed, and looked away, but then turned back to her. His voice lowered to a whisper as he said, “I want you to stay.”

“…What?”

Ben froze, unsure whether he could slip away without either of them noticing, but feeling that he shouldn’t be witnessing such a vulnerable conversation. His mother stood across from him in a similar state, eyes wide as they pinged back and forth between Amilyn and Poe. 

“Don’t move away. Please. I-I care about you, Amilyn, so much. And I’d _never_ laugh at you, if I’d only known how you felt—”

“Wait, what?” Amilyn held up a hand. “What are you talking about, ‘moving away?’ I’m not moving. And what do you mean, laughing at me? What’s going on?”

Ben’s sense of self preservation told him to leave, immediately, but Leia shot across the space between them and hooked a hand around his elbow the second he began to move toward his office.

“Oh no you don’t. Why do I have a feeling this is your doing?” she said under her breath. 

Poe, either oblivious to the possible danger or uncaring of it, stepped forward and took both Amilyn’s hands in his. “I was at the clinic today, and I overheard a conversation between Rey, Rose, and Ben. Rey told Rose and Ben what you told her earlier. I’m sorry she told them what you said, and I’m sorry I overheard. But you should know, you don’t have anything to worry about.” He paused, and gave a watery laugh. “I love you. Isn’t that strange?”

Amilyn was staring at him, utterly dumbfounded. But she hadn’t taken her hands from his. In fact, she laced their fingers together and pulled him closer. Just as Ben thought they might start kissing, she said, “Poe, I didn’t confide anything in Rey today. But I _did_ overhear them talking about how lovesick you were for me, that you thought I was such a harpy I’d never be with you.”

“We did not—” Leia elbowed Ben sharply enough in the ribs to knock the wind out of him. Neither Amilyn or Poe noticed he’d spoken. Poe took his hands out of Amilyn’s and spun away, running a hand through his hair. 

“They said you were desperate for me!” he shouted, looking quite desperate himself. 

“They said you were well nigh dead for me!” Amilyn shot back.

“So…so you don’t love me, then?” he asked. He straightened his back against the incoming disappointment. Ben’s heart and stomach both sank.

Amilyn stomped forward and put a hand on either side of a startled Poe’s face. “You are an infuriating, foolhardy, reckless, pompous ass. And I love you more than life itself. Now _that’s_ what’s strange.”

And with that, Amilyn Holdo grabbed Poe Dameron’s collar and yanked him forward, all the better to kiss him within an inch of his life. 

“All right, _now_ you can walk away,” Leia said under her breath, and they both snuck out of the kitchenette. “But I want it on record that I’m pissed you scheme worked after all my schemes didn’t.”

“To be fair, Rose did most of the actual scheming,” said Ben. Leia nodded in approval.

“I knew there was a reason I liked that girl.”

Ben called Rey on his way home from work and left her a voicemail; she was probably still in surgery. He felt buoyant. He knew that Poe would be so much happier now that he and Amilyn had cleared the air. The two of them might even be happy enough to forgive him and Rey for meddling. He laughed to himself. Only a few short months ago both he and Poe had been resolutely single, and now look at them. 

“Puppies!” he called as he walked in the door. Right on cue, the barks and howls of his eight tiny reindeer, plus Rudolph, sounded from the kennel. Inks also rushed forward, tail wagging furiously. She skidded to a stop right in front of him, demanding ear rubs. Niner, meanwhile, jumped down off the couch, stretched, and walked leisurely forward to wind around his legs as if she hadn’t been watching for him on the windowsill. (She waited for him everyday on the windowsill, then jumped down and went to the couch as he walked toward the front door. He never mentioned it out of respect for her feline dignity.) 

“Hello, Inks. And hello, Niner. How are all my charges today, huh? Everybody hungry?”

Inks pranced in a circle and then huffed as if she’d run a great distance. She huffed again, leaning forward. Ben kneeled down beside her.

“Do you have to throw up? It’s okay, go right ahead. The floor looks like hardwood, but it’s just laminate.” Inks continued to huff, but nothing came out. Finally she turned and pranced around him, alert and ready to play. Ben frowned but got up and went about making their dinner. Inks and Niner both ate happily in the kitchen under his watchful eye. Inks didn’t seem to have any trouble swallowing her food or water, so Ben wrote off her earlier behavior as a fluke and made up the puppies’ dinners.

All of the puppies seemed interested in the food except Vixen, who was still sleepy and lethargic even after he called to her. Immediately concerned, he stepped into the kennel and picked her up. She gave a small version of her usual happy whine, and licked his hand, but otherwise showed no signs of her outgoing nature. It was then that he noticed some of the puppies were making small versions of the same huff noise Inks had made earlier. Dread seized his heart. 

“Come on baby girl, you gotta eat. Come on,” he said. He scooped up tiny bits of food onto his fingers and brought them to Vixen’s mouth. She licked at them indifferently, but didn’t seem overly interested. What was it Rey had said about a dog’s nose? It was supposed to be cold and wet, wasn’t it? He remembered the bumper sticker on her car that said, “Feel the warmth of a cold wet nose.” He touched Vixen’s nose. 

It was warm and dry. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh no!!! What's happened to Inks and the babies?! If you saw my accidental inclusion of my outline for the remaining chapters a while ago, you might have an idea. But don't be TOO worried; this is me we're talking about here. I don't kill dogs, not even fictional ones. Feel free to leave a comment telling me what a monster I am, or come yell at me on twitter at @NightworkJane. (Yell gently though, as I am sensitive.)


	22. The Taming of the Grinch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The puppies are okay!! I repeat THE PUPPIES ARE JUST FINE I'm so, sorry I made you wait so long to confirm it! Please accept lots of happy kissing and gratuitous pierogi consumption as penance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got a bit stuck with this story (and with writing in general), and it only occurred to me today that I left the story with the puppies very sick during, well...everything going on in the world. I couldn't let that stand, so here we are! I'm sorry I made you wait, and I'm really looking forward to doing more writing again soon.

While the puppies’ diagnosis was not at all serious, the next few days were utter hell for Ben. He called the clinic in a haze of terror when he realized something was wrong and Finn rushed over, examined all the dogs, and nodded once. Kennel cough: easily treatable, rarely serious, mostly just a pain in the ass. 

All the puppies had to be kept in separate crates, to keep the ones who were sick away from the ones who weren’t, and to keep them from moving around too much. Bed rest was the first and best treatment apart from antibiotics. Finn, Rey, and Rose all assured him that this was a very common thing to happen with puppy litters; that he hadn’t done anything wrong; that the puppies were all going to be their happy, healthy, gamboling, rambunctious selves again in a matter of days. He appreciated it, but nothing really made him feel any better.

He slept on the couch (when he could quiet his mind long enough to sleep at all) so that he’d be as close to the puppies as he could. They cried all the time when they were awake, unused to being kept away from each other. This made Inks stressed, and she paced from crate to crate, then over to Ben to look at him imploringly and whine, then back to circle around the crates again. Inks’ stress only increased Ben’s stress and guilt, and Niner picked up on all of it, walking constantly around Ben to try to get his attention so that he’d hold her. 

Finally, _finally_ on the third day all of the puppies showed marked improvement. The first time Vixen wiggled and squirmed in his arms because she wanted to play instead of just being cradled, Ben cried with relief. Another few days went by with steady improvement, and then Rey gave them the all clear to return to normal. 

Leia brought a bottle of champagne by to celebrate, and eyed Ben critically as she handed him his glass. “Now you know I think you’re the handsomest boy, Ben. But you look like shit.”

“That’s because he hasn’t slept more than two hours straight for over a week,” Rey piped up from the kitchen. “So we’re feeding him pierogies with extra butter and cheese to make up for him _also forgetting to eat even though I reminded him_ , and then I’m putting him to bed. With force, if necessary.”

“I really like the way you think,” Leia called back to her, a warm and mischievous smile on her face. They went into the kitchen where Rey (at her insistence) had taken over and was putting the finishing touches on their dinner. 

“I wasn’t trying to forget to eat,” he mumbled guiltily, accepting an overflowing bowl of pierogies. Rey hadn’t been kidding: the pierogies were covered in butter, onions, and cheese. His stomach growled in appreciation. 

“I know,” Rey said, dropping a kiss onto the top of his head before she sat down next to him. “But it’s all over now, so let’s get you re-carbo-loaded.”

Rey had been serious about putting him forcibly to bed, too: after Leia made a tactful exit as soon as the dishes were done, Rey put both her hands on his hips and pushed him up the stairs and onto the bed that he hadn’t slept in for what felt like a month. 

“Clothes off. It’s bedtime.”

“Are you sure? It’s still early, we can watch a movie if you want, or—”

“Ben. Clothes _off_. Right now.”

He stared at her for a few seconds, mind gone completely blank by her commanding tone and the sheer force of how much he enjoyed it. Eventually he stammered, “Uh, yes, all right, I—okay.”

When he’d stripped down to his skin, she nodded in approval, the beautiful hint of a blush covering her cheeks. She shimmied out of her shirt and jeans, discarded her bra and panties, and then quirked an eyebrow at him as he stared. “Turn down the covers you fool.”

He did as he was told, and was rewarded with a Rey-bright grin just before she turned out the light and joined him in the bed. She immediately covered her body with his, kissing him fiercely while her hands gently carded through his hair, cherishing and sweet. The pleasure she gave him after what felt like an eternity of dread and anxiety was deliciously overwhelming, and he allowed himself to melt into her kiss. 

After a little while he tried to flip them over, the better to pleasure her any way she wished, but she stopped him. “Wait, no. We have to talk about something.”

“What is it?” Dread seized him. Had he done something wrong?

She pulled back just a little, and in the dark he could just barely see her troubled expression. She moved her hands from his hair to his face, tracing his cheekbones with her thumbs as she stared at him, a little sad.

“Ben, you scared me this week. I love how much you love Inks and the puppies—it’s what drew me to you when we met. I love your compassion, and how much you love taking care of others. But you don’t get to sacrifice your physical and mental wellbeing like that, okay? Not anymore. I want you to show yourself the same love you show the puppies. And—and me. I want you to treat yourself the way you treat me. Would you let me torture myself, skip sleeping and eating, if my pet got an easily treatable illness?”

“No,” he said, closing his eyes. He knew what she meant, and he knew she was right. It was just hard, sometimes too hard, not to blame himself when things went wrong, and to punish himself to try to make it right. He sighed, and rubbed a hand over his face. “No, I wouldn’t want that for you at all. And I’m sorry I scared you.”

“I forgive you. Now let me demonstrate how _I_ think you deserve to be treated.”

It was an illuminating evening. 


	23. Visions of Sugarplums

When he still hadn’t put up his Christmas decorations by the twenty-third, Ben called in Maz for reinforcements. He and Rey were hosting a Christmas Eve party at his house, but between the puppies’ sickness and his schedule, there just hadn’t been time to decorate. 

He’d had more people in his space in the last three months than the entire time he’d lived in the house. This was all thanks to Inks and Rey coming into this life. Normally he’d drift between whatever friends or family parties were available during the holidays, and the rest of the time he usually saw his friends one-on-one. Poe was the socialite of his friend group; the only reason Ben had bought a dining room table large enough to seat six was that Leia said the room would look strange if he got anything smaller. And now here he was: he’d hosted Thanksgiving, a getting-to-know-the-puppies party, and now Christmas. 

But he wanted everything to look especially pretty for the Christmas Eve party, because this was going to be the first holiday party he and Rey hosted together as an official couple. Though he reminded himself not to think too far ahead, he was already hoping this would be the first of many holiday parties they threw together, and he wanted this one to be a good memory for both of them to look back on. 

“No shame in asking for help,” Maz said as she pulled a rope of string lights out of a box and began to untangle them. “But we’re leaving the ornaments off the tree so you and Rey can hang them. Couples decorate trees together, Ben. That’s how it’s done.”

He hadn’t thought about it, but when he pictured the two of them together, hanging ornaments on the tree, he found himself smiling at the soft romance of the it—even if he knew the puppies would inevitably wreak as much chaos throughout the process as they possibly could. 

Just as she was with her own decorations, Maz was a tiny force of festivity in his house. She strang lights around the windows, swapped out the plain placemats on his dining room table for ones with Christmas patterns, festooned the mantlepiece with garland, and even gave Niner and the dogs Christmas collars. All this while he was busy swearing and grumbling as he wrestled the indecently heavy tarp bag holding his Christmas tree out of the attic. When he finally got the tree bag into the living room, the whole space was transformed. 

“Hold on, now—that flower arrangement is very pretty, but it’s not mine,” he said, pointing to the centerpiece on his dining room table. It had sprigs of pine intertwined with holly, red roses, and poinsettia spilling from a silver and gold base, with three slim cande holders rising from the center of the silk flowers. 

“It is if I say it is, and I do.” Maz couldn’t even be bothered to turn toward him, as she was currently occupied clipping the last collar onto Blitzen. “I made that arrangement last year when the holiday floral supplies went on sale at Michael’s, and never had anywhere to put it. I’m glad you like it.”

He knew better than to argue with Maz, so instead he let her help him set up the tree. They had it built and lit with just enough time for Ben to get ready for his date with Rey that night. They were actually going out, on a real date that required dressing up and leaving the house.He’d initially been apprehensive about leaving the puppies alone for such a long time, but Maz had volunteered to puppy-sit. 

Right on cue the doorbell rang. Ben ran a hand through his hair one last time and sprinted down the stairs to open the door. Rey stood on his doorstep, giving him a shy smile. 

“Do I look okay? Should I have worn something fancier?” she asked after he’d just stared at her in silence for a long moment. 

“Oh for Heaven’s sake, bring the girl inside and kiss her,” Maz groused. “She’ll catch her death out there.”

At this, Ben finally found his voice. “Splendid idea.” He tugged Rey inside with one hand and nudged the door shut behind her with the other. She laughed and threw her arms around his neck, and pulled him in for a kiss, but Ben stopped her at the last moment. 

“You look amazing. I couldn’t have imagined how amazing you look. Just so we’re clear. But you don’t have to kiss me if it’ll ruin your lipstick.”

She grinned. “Liquid lip paint. We’re good for the next twelve hours. C’mere handsome.”

He would never get over the way Rey kissed him. Even if they weren’t alone, she always threw herself entirely into kissing him. Her arms squeezed him tight and she conveyed all her passion and ferocity in just one brief, closed-mouth kiss. He also loved that she was so focused on kissing him, every time, that she lost track of her surroundings. When she pulled back to grin at him, he saw the second she registered all the Christmas decorations. Her face lit up, and she actually bounced in glee.

“This looks wonderful!” She grabbed his hand in one of hers, and Maz’s hand in the other, and dragged them around the living room, dining room, and kitchen so that Maz could explain everything, exclaiming over everything as she went. 

“Do I have time to say hi to the kids before we leave for our mystery date, or no?” Rey asked. Ben nodded, and she skipped off to greet each of the puppies individually, and to give Inks and Niner a kiss on the head each.

“You kids have fun,” said Maz, and they were headed out the door. They waved to her as they left. Ben opened the car door for her and fussed over the temperature controls to make sure she wouldn’t be cold. His chivalric gestures made Rey laugh, but she indulged him anyway. 

“Do I get to know where we’re going or do I have to wait until we’re there?”

He took his eyes off the road only long enough to take in her wide grin. “I assumed I’d tell you in the car, but now you mention it, if you wait the surprise might be that much better.”

“As long as you _promise_ I’m not underdressed. I don’t really know how to clean up, since I was a foster kid and now I spend most of my days up to my elbows in dogs and cats—not that I’m complaining.”

“You are the most beautiful woman on this planet, and that’s final.” 

They were stopped at a red light, so Rey swooped over to kiss his cheek. “I know you like me no matter what I wear. Or don’t wear,” she giggled, waggling her eyebrows at him. He blushed in spite of himself, wondering how she could make something sound so cheesy, sexy, and sweet at the same time. “I just want to know that I’m not wearing anything that will make me look cheap.”

Cheap? Rey? Well. _That_ was going to be a much longer, more involved conversation. But for now he wanted her to relax and enjoy herself, not dig up old traumas and be forced to confront them before she was ready. He looked at her dress, pretending to give it serious consideration. “Well, according to my mother’s butler Threepio, who also served my grandmother Padmé, who was the toast of Old Hollywood fashion designers, a little black dress works for everything. Yours is in a flattering, classic cut without being stodgy. You’ve put your hair in a loose bun, chose a classic shade of red lipstick, and aren’t wearing any tacky jewelry. You clean up perfect, Rey, and not just tonight. Don’t worry. Threepio and Nanna would approve.”

He looked over at her and saw that she still looked hesitant, so he patted her knee. “And I very much approve of this ‘safe for kissing’ lip paint.”

He only meant to give her a quick, reassuring kiss, but of course they got carried away. Neither of them realized the light had turned green until the three cars behind them honked their horns. Ben laughed when he looked in the rearview mirror and saw the guy in the car behind them shaking his fist.

“Oops.”

Once they’d arrived and parked the car, he was glad he hadn’t spoiled the surprise. The front of the old theater was lit with soft golden light, with _The Nutcracker_ up on the marquee.

“We’re going to the ballet?!” Rey turned to him, tugging on his arm. She looked torn between delight and tenderness. “You remembered I’ve never been.”

“Yeah,” he said, nervous and trying to brush it off. She’d mentioned off-hand when they were still “friends” that going to the ballet was something she’d always wanted to do, but never had anyone to go with. “ _The Nutcracker_ was my first ballet experience when I was a kid, and I loved it. I thought you might like it, too.”

“You are the _best_ ; I feel like I’m in _Pretty Woman_! Except that was opera, not ballet. And I’m not a sex worker, and you’re not a soulless corporate shark. I do hope I don’t say anything embarrassing to kindly old ladies about ‘the show was so good I almost peed my pants,’ though.”

“I should’ve bought you a ruby necklace,” he joked, threading her hand through his arm as he lead them toward the entrance. “And don’t worry, I’ll cover for you with a _Pirates of Penzance_ reference. I know my lines.”

There were posters of current and upcoming productions on either side of the glassed in will-call office. Rey looked at them all, wide-eyed and curious. He’d been to the theater countless times, and despite usually enjoying it, he’d long since begun taking the experience for granted. She gave him a new appreciation for everything: the pattern in the marble floor of the lobby, the art deco design of the bar, the plushness of the velvet seats, everything. It was the best date he’d ever been on before the dancers even took the stage. 

He found her reactions to the ballet just as entrancing as the performance. She gasped when the Christmas tree grew and grew. She gripped his hand tight when the Nutcracker and Clara fought the Rat King, and made a tiny sound of wonder at the Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy. 

“That was perfect,” she sighed, after the curtains fell and the lights came up. 

They ate a late dinner at a nearby gastropub to avoid the traffic going home, curled up together on one side of the booth.

“Are you nervous about the party?” Rey asked. He knew what she meant. He’d been avoiding thinking about it as much as he could, but Beth, Inks’ mom, would be coming to the party. She wouldn’t be taking Inks home until just after New Years when the puppies were fully weaned, but it would be the first time Inks had seen her since she was dropped off on his porch. 

“A little.” Rey’s left eyebrow twitched, and Ben slumped in defeat. “Okay, a lot. What if Inks is overjoyed to see her, and doesn’t want anything to do with me anymore? What if she resents Beth and doesn’t want to leave with her? What if _I_ resent Beth for taking Inks away from me and act like a jerk without realizing it?”

Rey leaned into his side and laid her head on his shoulder. “Everything’s going to be okay, Ben. Inks loves you, I know that. I bet Beth will want to keep in touch, and this won’t be the last you see of Inks.”

It began to snow just as they got back home. They thanked Maz for looking after their brood, who thanked them in turn for the chance to spend time with the puppies. 

Inks usually preferred to sleep downstairs with the puppies, but Rey coaxed her into coming upstairs with them, rightly guessing that Ben would be comforted by her staying close. Ben got ready for bed first, which he found he liked: he could read and relax while Rey answered the last round of emails and texts for the day, and took her time showering and winding down for the night. He liked knowing that she was going to join him, as he knew she liked knowing he was waiting for her. 

The only light on in the bedroom when Rey came out of the ensuite bathroom was Ben’s reading soft reading lamp. When he looked up he saw her, once again wearing a t-shirt she’d stolen from him, fresh faced and sleepy, walking toward him. In the window behind her he could see the snow still falling. He waited until she crawled into the bed next to him, then turned out the light without a word. She reached for him and snuggled into his chest. Inks, already asleep, snored contentedly at the foot of the bed. A few seconds later a soft _tha-thump_ announced Niner’s arrival. She walked across both Ben and Rey’s torsos, demanding ear rubs and making them laugh. Then she curled up behind Rey’s back, so that she could be close to Rey while still being within petting distance of Ben. 

Ben watched the snow fall, lulled to sleep by the warmth and comfort of the love all around him. 


	24. Where the Love Light Gleams

Ben was full of restless energy as they prepped for the party. He was glad of having so much to do, because then he wouldn’t focus on Beth’s impending arrival, and how much he both anticipated and dreaded meeting her. The highlight of the morning and afternoon was trimming the tree with Rey. They played Nat King Cole’s Christmas album, built a fire, and drank cocoa. He didn’t have many personal Christmas ornaments, but those he had he explained the history of.

Beth was scheduled to come to the house at four o’clock, while the rest of the party wouldn’t arrive until six. She’d insisted on coming a few hours early in case they didn’t want her to stay. Ben had assured her that that was nonsense, and that she was very welcome to join the party, but he hadn’t wanted to pressure her to socialize when she wasn’t ready, either. 

Inks was asleep by the fire when Beth knocked on the door. She didn’t even open her eyes at the sound, which was normal for her. Ever since the puppies had been born, she’d slept extra soundly. The only things that could wake her were being stroked or the cries of her puppies. 

But the second Beth said hello to Rey and Ben, Inks was awake and alert. She scrambled to her feet, looking at the door with wide eyes. All three humans stared as she crouched, uncertain, ears forward, tail drifting back and forth––her whole body a picture of tremulous hope. 

“Inksy?” Beth crouched just inside the front door, though whether to appear less threatening or whether her knees just gave out on her, Ben wasn’t entirely sure. Inks edged forward, slowly at first. Her tail still wagged slowly from side to side, until she was close enough to scent Beth. Then, all at once, she seemed to fully accept what her eyes and ears had told her.

She shot forward and slammed straight into Beth’s chest, wriggling and whining in sheer joy, her tail whirring around so fast it was nothing but a blur. She whuffed and barked and yipped, trying like mad to stay still long enough for Beth to hug her, but so full of energy that she bounced into Beth’s chest again, then raced around her, then collapsed into her lap. Beth laughed and cried the whole time, telling Inks how much she missed her, and loved her, and what a good girl she was. 

Rey wrapped her arm around Ben’s waist and laid her head on his shoulder, knowing he’d need a bit of reassurance. He was happy to see Inks so happy, just as he’d predicted. He was also heartbroken, just as he’d predicted. 

It took a few minutes, but finally Inks calmed down enough to let Beth give her a proper hug and a belly rub. Inks’ happy dog smile beamed wider than Ben had ever seen it. Then she stood, and zoomed over to Ben, wiggling in excitement and nudging his hand to as for pets. 

“Yes, I know you’re a good girl,” he laughed. She leaned against his leg and sighed. 

Beth stood and wiped her eyes. “Thank you so much, for taking care of her. For letting me see her again. I just—” she choked up again, but swallowed a few times and took a few deep breaths until she was ready to speak. “I can see that my girl loves you, and that’s all that matters to me.”

Vixen took this opportunity to howl piteously from her playpen, staring reproachfully at Ben. He smiled and scooped her up, cradling her to his heart the way he knew she liked. She stretched up and licked the under side of his chin.

“This is Vixen,” he said to Beth. “Inks had nine puppies, and they’re all named after Santa’s reindeer. Vixen here gave us a bit of a scare when she was born, but she’s big and strong now. Aren’t you sweetheart?”

He and Rey introduced Beth to each of the puppies, offering stories and personality traits about each. Beth held them all in turn, gently petting them and cooing over them, often remarking how each reminded her of Inks in some way. Inks laid down nearby watching them both contentedly. 

“I just—” Beth looked down, stroking Prancer’s head before putting him back in the playpen with the other puppies. “You’re a lot nicer to me than I deserve. I can’t believe I dumped my dog on your porch and you really looked after her like this. I want you to know that I’ll never be that stupid again. I knew I should’ve left him a long time ago. I _wanted_ to leave him a long time ago. I just couldn’t. He had control over everything. I won’t let happen to me, or Inks, ever again. I know I don’t deserve to have her back, and I won’t ask for her to come home before the puppies are weaned, I just—”

“I don’t think you’re stupid,” said Ben. He reached out and put a hand on her elbow. “And you do deserve Inks. You love her, and she loves you. You’re right, I love her too, but I never thought I’d be keeping her forever. She’s your dog.” 

“I think you were incredibly brave, finding someone to take care of Inks like that,” said Rey. “And I can tell you, as a vet? Inks was in remarkably good shape for a dog that lived in an abusive environment. She’s not fearful or aggressive, her weight and health are good—you took extremely good care of her.” 

Without warning, Beth threw her arms around Rey and hugged her tight. Rey gently patted her back and let her cry for a minute. 

Once the elephant in the room was addressed, all three of them relaxed. They talked about everyday subjects: Ben and Rey’s work, and Beth’s new apartment and new job. For the first time in years she’d be using her degree, and she was already excited about many things to come. The three of them got along so well that none of them noticed the time passing, and were startled by the arrival of the first guests.

Finn and Rose came in bearing wine, food, and presents, since everyone had agreed to exchange gifts within the friend group that night. Leia and Han arrived not long after with stockings for everyone. Then came Amilyn and Poe, Luke, Chewie, and Maz. 

The evening passed in a happy blur. Finn had insisted on doing the cooking, to which had Ben put up only a token resistance. He was too familiar with Finn’s culinary talent to seriously turn him down. They made an event of it instead of doing a potluck, everyone piling into the kitchen to help him and keep him company while he worked. The end result was a buffet style feast of osso buco, vegetables, pasta, and salad.

The wine and conversation flowed after dinner. Ben found himself seated on the couch with Rey in his lap, and Vixen and Dasher in her lap. He might’ve expected to feel uncomfortable or self conscious, but instead he just enjoyed the casual contact. She chatted with Finn and Rose to his left, while he caught up with Maz, on his right, about her latest adventures. 

Beth was a little starstruck by his mother at first. But Leia was used to that, and knew how to draw people out. By the end of the evening the two of them were deep in conversation with Poe and Amilyn about funding for women’s shelters that allowed abuse victims to take their dogs into hiding with them. Ben kept an eye on them, hoping Beth wouldn’t find the subject matter too stressful or triggering. But instead she seemed to relish the opportunity to talk about her experiences with people who would listen. She smiled and laughed often, and every time Inks would drop whatever she was doing and find her, to nuzzle her hand for ear rubs.

Niner was in her customary spot on the back of the couch, nestled behind Ben’s head. Every once in a while she would flump her tail against the back of his neck, just to remind him she was there. He’d reach back and let her rub her face on his palm. Not at all unlike Inks’ trick, he realized. 

The evening wound down well after midnight. Each of Ben’s friends who was adopting one of the puppies got to spend time with their chosen ones, and each gave their pup a hug and a kiss before leaving. Beth took the longest time to say goodbye to Inks. In fact, Ben was worried that Inks would cry when she left, but fortunately apart from standing at the door for a few minutes, she seemed to be all right. Rey called her into the living room and offered her a rawhide bone, which made her forget all about her woes. 

“I wish I could adapt to change as well as she can,” Ben remarked, indicating a happy Inks gnawing on her treat by the fire. 

Rey took his hand and tugged him to sit down on the couch next to her. “I dunno, I think you’ve done pretty great actually. You went from a one pet household to an _eleven_ pet household in two days. You went from being single to being the best fake boyfriend ever, to being, obviously, the best _real_ boyfriend ever, in just a few weeks.” She leaned over and kissed his cheek. “You staged a Shakespearean coup to get two of your friends together. And even though just yesterday you told me you were worried you’d be mean to Beth for wanting Inks back, when the moment arrived, you went out of your way to reassure her that Inks could go back home. All in all I think Inks is probably taking her adaptive cues from you.”

He pulled her in close and sighed. “Sorry, have I been too clingy today? You can tell me.”

“Do you hear me complaining?” She ran her hands through his hair as she curled further into his chest. He chuckled and hugged her tighter.

“No, I don’t.”

“I rather like being held by you. It’s a hobby of mine.”

The clock on the mantlepiece struck midnight.

“Merry Christmas, Rey.” 

She kissed his forehead. “Merry Christmas, Ben. I have an early gift for you. Do you want it now?” 

Ben was confused. Earlier they’d already exchanged one Christmas Eve gift with each other; she’d given him a matching set of dog collars and leashes with Vixen and Dasher’s names on them, and he’d given her a leather-bound journal since she’d remarked that she might like to start journaling. She saw his confusion and nodded.

“It’s something I just got; it wasn’t planned.” 

“Sure, I’ll open it,” he said. He followed her to the tree, where she presented him with a small bag. She watched him, grinning, as he opened it and found an ornament. It was a small nutcracker, painted blue and silver, standing proud with a sword, a golden crown on his head. He looked up in surprise to see Rey grinning at him. “Look under the base,” she encouraged.

He did, and saw that it was inscribed, “Ben & Rey, 2019.”

“I got it last night after I sent you off to get us a glass of wine during the intermission. I thought he was too cute to pass up, and I wanted you have something to remember this Christmas by, cause…” she trailed off, looking a bit pink in the cheeks, “I dunno about you, but I’ve been really really happy, lately.”

He wrapped her up in his arms again, and rested his cheek against the top of her head. He just held her, letting the feeling of her, so warm and close, anchor the moment. He wished he could somehow capture this memory in an ornament, or a talisman that he could carry with him, always close to his heart. The soft crackle of the fireplace, the sleepy puppies napping in little piles on top of each other, the twinkling of the lights in the tree and garlands, and the woman of his dreams, telling him he made her happy. Ben closed his eyes to memorize how she felt in his arms. She wore a dark grey wool skirt and a pretty red and white holiday sweater. The material of both were soft against his palms and warm from the heat of her skin. 

He couldn’t quite look her in the eye when he said, “I’ve been really happy, too,” but he knew that she could hear how he felt in the tone of his voice, and that was enough. 

“Let’s put him on the tree together,” she said. He took Rey’s hand in his, and together they placed the nutcracker ornament right in the front of the tree, where it could be seen from every part of the room. 

In the background, Nat King Cole sang, “The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.”


	25. Home for the Holidays

December 2nd, 2021, 12:30 PM

Rey and Rose stared at each other with equally wide eyes from opposite sides of the exam table. The two hundred pound Saint Bernard on the table wagged her tail in confusion. It wasn’t often that humans were even able to ignore her, let alone willing. Just a moment before they’d been rubbing her ears and telling her what a good girl she was. Through the slightly open door, two voices could be heard. 

“Well, Ben said he was gonna propose in front of the family on Christmas Eve cause he thinks it’s what Rey wants—you know, a big gesture—but he kinda hopes she’ll propose before then. Apparently she said something about it once and he really liked the idea of being proposed to,” said Poe. Rey lunged forward and clutched the dog in a hug, because it was the only thing she could do that didn’t involve squealing. The dog was quite happy with this turn of events, and rolled over in Rey’s embrace to ask for belly rubs.

“Do you think we should give her a little head’s up?” Amilyn asked. Poe scoffed.

“After what they did to us? Absolutely not.”

“Yes, but think how well that turned out for us.” Amilyn’s tone was light and flirtatious, and Poe’s answering chuckle was salacious.

“I’ll let you convince me. In the meantime: lunch?”

Amilyn said yes to lunch, and Rey held her breath until the sounds of their retreating footsteps faded.

“What?!” Rose shouted. She reached across the dog to grab Rey’s arm. “You know what this means. You have to propose before Christmas Eve.”

“You really think he wants to marry me?” 

“Rey. _Rey._ You live together. This man is _obsessed_ with you. He packs you lunches with little love notes every day. I think it’s safe to say that yes, he would very much like to marry you.”

A slow grin spread over Rey’s face. “I’m gettin’ _married_.”

  


December 2nd, 2021, 1 PM

“Hey, I brought you lunch,” Ben heard Amilyn say, as she walked into Poe’s office next door. Ben braced himself. While they were past the stage where Ben had to pretend he couldn’t hear them making out, they were still sometimes a little obnoxious in how affectionate they were with each other. 

“I heard something interesting the other day when I went for drinks with Rose and Finn. It’s about Rey.”

Ben’s ears perked up, while Amilyn said, “Keep your voice down!”

“Apparently,” Poe began in a stage whisper. Ben rolled his eyes; Poe was the absolute worst at subtlety. “Rey is thinking of proposing to Ben at their party on Christmas Eve.”

Ben gasped, then clapped his hands over his mouth. Could that be true? Would she, really? He thought of her smiling at him, blushing and happy, asking him to marry her in front of all their friends and family. His heart beat so loudly he almost didn’t hear Amilyn’s reply.

“Of course they want to get married, that’s obvious. But does he really want that big a gesture?”

“I don’t know; I can’t figure out a way to ask him without giving the game away. Maybe the gesture is what she wants?”

“She said to me once that she didn’t care how he asked, so long as he asked.”

Poe snorted. “I don’t know if I’d trust Ben that far. Left to himself he’d tell her they should get married for tax reasons.”

Ben nearly got up to tell Poe that he was _so romantic_ , thank you very much, when Amilyn laughed.

“That’s not true and you know it. Maybe we should give him a hint, you know, that she’s ready to be asked? I bet he’d fall at her feet in an instant if he knew.”

Ben knew what he had to do. 

  


December 2nd, 2021, Evening

He’d planned on proposing to Rey as soon as she walked in the door, but she’d run up to him and attacked him with playful kisses, then demanded to be fed. They’d had dinner, watched a movie, walked Dasher and Vixen, and gone to bed. It was an evening that reminded him of _Our Town_ : simple, supposedly forgettable, but almost heartbreaking in how intensely he cherished it. 

In the morning, he promised himself, as soon as they woke up, he would ask her. 

He woke with a start when he heard Rey crying, flinching in her sleep as she curled in on herself and whimpered. 

“Wake up, Rey. It’s okay, I’m here.” He stroked his hand gently along her shoulder until she startled awake and stared at him, disoriented. Then she sniffled and buried her face in his neck, holding onto him to chase the nightmare away. Ben held her, petting her hair. “Tell me what you dreamed, and I’ll kiss it better.”

“I asked you to marry me. You said no, and you got so angry.” She started to cry and held onto him tighter, rhythmically clutching at his shoulder as she tried to hug him tighter. “You left me. Everyone left me. It was like you all found out—that I’m not really who I say I am, and I don’t deserve you? Finn and Rose, and even the dogs growled at me when I tried to come home and—I was just _right back_ to being a foster kid. I’ve come so far, and it just…none of it mattered. I was cold and hungry and poor and I had nowhere to go, and nobody loved me and I was all alone. No one wanted me. And I didn’t know why—”

“I want you, Rey. I love you. I want to marry you.” He cradled her and nudged her face up so he could press kisses to her forehead, nose, and cheeks as he murmured reassurances. “You’re the love of my life. You will never be alone like that again. Finn and Rose love you, Poe and Amilyn love you, my mom and dad love you, Niner and the dogs love you. I will _never_ leave you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I’ll build you a big house and we can have kids, or adopt them, if you want. We can have one, or so many people will think we’re Christian fundamentalists. Anything you want.”

She laughed a little at that, as he’d hoped she would. She brought her hand to his face and traced his cheekbone with her fingertip. He leaned into her palm. They stared at each other in the low light while her breathing returned to normal and she came more fully awake. “Do you believe me?” he whispered.

“Which part?” she asked with a sleepy, relaxed sigh.

“That I love you, and I’m not the only one?” She nodded. 

“That you never have to be a lonely foster kid again?” She stirred a little, opening her eyes fully. He traced soothing lines along her spine until she was ready to answer. Finally she smiled a little, and nodded. He could see the dream’s influence retreating. This wasn’t the first time she dreamed about losing everything she’d gained over her life, and he knew it wouldn’t be the last. He could only hope to be there to help chase away her fears when they haunted her.

“Yes. I get scared sometimes, but yes.” 

“Rey––do you believe me, that you’re the love of my life, and that I want to marry you?”

Her eyes grew bright, but not from fear the of the dream this time. She grabbed his face and kissed him, joyfully, flipping on her back and dragging him on top of her so she could wrap her arms and legs around him in a full-body hug. She sniffled a little, too, but then so did he.

“ _I_ was supposed to ask _you_!” she said at last. “I had it all planned out and everything. And now my stupid dream went and ruined it.”

Ben was far too overjoyed at the idea of marrying Rey to be much concerned about the finesse in receiving the message. He spent several minutes kissing her senseless, until he was sure she believed that, too.

“Whew, if you kiss me like that every time I propose, I’m gonna do it more often.”

“By all means feel free to propose marriage to me whenever convenient.” He smiled down at her and pushed a lock of hair back from her forehead. “We can just be one of those obnoxious couples that’s forever proposing to each other even after we’re already married. I had an elaborate plan for proposing to you, too. So watch out.”

She frowned suddenly. “Not that I don’t look forward to that—do your worst—but: did you by any chance overhear a conversation between Poe and Amilyn today?”

The memory of that afternoon came back to him in full force: Amilyn and Poe, and their not-so-clandestine conversation about how much Rey was looking forward to him proposing.

“As a matter of fact, I did. You didn’t happen to _also_ overhear a conversation between them today, did you?”

Rey was already nodding. “Well, if this is the outcome, I’m not going to get mad. But you know we have to get even.”

“Oh?” he laughed, as he nuzzled along her neck. Poe an Amilyn weren’t nearly as interesting to him as kissing his new fiancée.

“Hey, I’m trying to plot revenge here and you’re—” 

“Seducing you.”

“Oh, well in that case—” Her voice died off when he found the spot on the side of her neck, just above her shoulder, that always made her shiver and sigh. “Hmm, you’re right, that feels wonderful. Don’t stop.”

He was only too happy to oblige. 

  


December 24, 2021, 8 PM

“You ready?” Rey asked him under his breath. He nodded. She kissed his cheek and then pulled back to waggle her eyebrows at him. “You look so handsome, I could just marry you.”

“Promises, promises.”

“Oh you’ll see. I’m a woman of my word. In the meantime, let’s act messy.”

Everyone except Amilyn and Poe was in on the secret. This wasn’t just their annual Christmas Eve party; it was also their wedding. Ben had offered to give Rey any kind of wedding she wanted: in a big church, elope to Vegas, whatever. But the more they talked about it, the more they just wanted something simple with the people they cared about most. Since they already knew everyone was coming to the Christmas Eve party, there was hardly any planning involved. Maz had agreed to officiate, and Leia had thought the scheme of tricking Poe and Amilyn too hilarious to insist on bringing in hordes of professional photographers. 

Rey walked out to the back yard holding a cheese tray, Ben following close behind with two bottles of wine in each hand. They’d gone all out and rented patio space heaters instead of trying to cram everyone into the living room. They’d decorated the yard with Maz’s help. The yard was resplendent with lights and ribbons, and on the far the side against the fence there were two live Christmas trees, between which they’d put the altar. 

All their friends who had adopted the Reindeer Puppies had brought them along. Since the puppies had been weaned they’d come together again frequently, which eased Ben’s sadness at letting them go considerably. When they reached the yard, Ben scanned the crowd for Beth, who gave him a wink. Inks was ready to be ring-bearer, then. 

Rey made a big show of slamming the cheese tray down on the table, hard enough to rattle the glasses.

“Jesus, Rey, calm down,” Ben said in false annoyance.

“I will _not_ calm down!” she shouted, very convincingly. Ben’s flinch was quite genuine. “Do you wanna marry me or not?!”

“Fuck yes I wanna marry you! I’ll marry you right here right now! You think I won’t?!”

“You fucking better! I’ll tell you something else, you wanna hear it?” She got up into his face, pointing a finger at his chest. “You better brace yourself.”

“You just try and shock me.”

“I wanna marry you too!” With that she laughed and jumped straight into his arms, throwing her arms around his shoulders and legs around his waist. He caught her and they kissed, while everyone else whooped and laughed and cheered. Rey turned and looked at Amilyn and Poe. “Were you fooled?”

Poe stood frozen, eyes wide and mouth gaping. The mug of hot chocolate he’d been holding only moments before tipped carelessly to the side in his hand, as the last of the drink dribbled onto the grass beside his shoes. Amilyn smirked at them, her arms crossed in front of her, and shook her head in affectionate exasperation. 

“I told you they’d figure it out,” she said in an aside to Poe. 

“Welcome to our wedding!” Ben called out to all their guests, still holding Rey in his arms. He noticed that Han was recording them on his phone, but was too happy to be self-conscious. “We thought about waiting, but, well. We didn’t want to.”

The lead-up to the ceremony itself became a blur in his memory. He (reluctantly) let Rey go long enough for her to change into her wedding dress, while Han brought him his suit jacket and boutonnière. Leia gave the signal for the small group of people she’d hired to swoop in and set up chairs for the guests. Ben and Rey had consented to one photographer and videographer, who were comfortingly unobtrusive—or perhaps Ben was so consumed with nervousness and excitement he couldn’t focus enough to notice them.

“Relax, kid,” said Han, as he fussed unnecessarily with the lapels of Ben’s jacket. “You and Rey are the real thing, and everybody knows it.” 

“Thanks, Dad.” Ben’s voice grew heavy. “I’m glad you’re here.”

Han gave a grunt and a nod, but couldn’t look Ben in the eye for a moment. When he did, his jaw was set in his typical strong-man-Solo expression, but his eyes were bright. “I brought my cufflinks, that I wore when I married your mother. You can wear them. If you want.”

Leia was always grateful that the photographer caught both the moment that Ben tearfully bear-hugged his father, and the moment that Han gently helped Ben put on his cufflinks. 

In contrast to the preparation, the ceremony itself remained sharp in Ben’s mind for the rest of his life. Rey walked toward him in an a-line, lacy white dress. It wasn’t elaborate like a traditional wedding gown; instead it was simple and perfect, just like Rey wanted. She’d chosen to walk down the aisle to “The Waltz o the Flowers” from _The Nutcracker_ , in keeping with the theme of their holiday wedding, and one of their first big dates. The look of beatific joy on her face as she stared up at him was matched only by his own painfully wide grin. She was so beautiful that when she reached him he leaned forward to kiss her, only for Luke to shout playfully, “Not yet, Ben! You have to wait to the end!”

Rey laughed, grabbed Ben by the ears, and kissed him anyway. 

Maz lead them through their vows to love and cherish each other. Inks brought the rings in a little pouch attached to her collar as soon as Ben and Rey called her, though she did briefly stop to lick Vixen’s face on the way. They exchanged rings, and then Maz pronounced them husband and wife. As they kissed, Han let go of Dasher’s and Vixen’s leashes, so that they ran up to Ben and Rey to demand their share of affection. After kissing again, and waving to the crowd, they walked back down the aisle to “The Final Waltz,” again from _The Nutcracker._

The reception lasted even longer into the night than their usual parties. They ate and danced and sang and danced some more, until finally everyone collapsed into chairs around the outdoor fire pit to eat s’mores and listen to Christmas music. All nine of the puppies, now no longer puppies, seemed to understand that this was an even more fun than usual occasion. They chased each other, patrolled under tables for dropped food, and made their rounds demanding pets from all their favorite humans, until eventually they too wore themselves out and curled up to sleep in groups by the patio heaters. Toward the end of the night, Ben sat with Rey on his lap in front of their outdoor fire pit. She wore his jacket and toyed with his cufflinks in between eating the s’mores Ben fed her. 

“I think your bride is tired,” Beth said fondly. 

Rey nodded sleepily, then yawned so widely her jaw cracked. 

“Ben will carry me inside if I pass out, right Ben?”

“Of course. Gotta carry you across the threshold. It’s a rule.”

“You two go on in, then,” said Leia. “We’ll take care of everything.”

“You don’t have to do that, Mom. We can help clean up tomorrow.” Ben’s offer was punctuated by a loud yawn of his own.

“Absolutely not. Go to bed, and Merry Christmas.”

Ben picked Rey up and carried her inside. They were both so tired and happy (and tipsy from champagne) that they giggled their way upstairs and then collapsed in a heap on the bed.

“I’m happy I married you,” said Rey, as she arranged Ben’s limbs so she could use him as a body pillow. Outside the music was still playing, but softer now, and he could hear the laughter of their friends floating up through the air. “And we had a good wedding. I’m glad all the dogs could be there too, since they were how we met. It was merry and bright. Good job us.”

“It was merry, fuzzy, and bright,” Ben replied. Rey chuckled as she snuggled deeper into his side. A few seconds later Niner jumped onto the bed and curled up in her customary spot against Rey’s back. Dasher and Vixen could be heard snoring from their own bed (though they were certain to climb up to snuggle with Ben and Rey soon). “I’m glad I married you, too.” 

Ben fell asleep a few moments later, dreaming of the joy and adventures that would fill the rest of their days. 


End file.
